Cora An unforgettable voyage
by Breaking-new-waters
Summary: When Cora boarded titanic, she had no idea of the things and people she would incounter. This is her story in her point of view. It has differences to the movie, which I hope you like. Please read and review story better than summary! xxx
1. New begining

"Cora, we've got to go now sweetheart, come on" my daddy called from down the gate. I turned my head to him, the wind whipped around me, I could feel the cool breeze on my face as the wind picked up stands of my hair, as if they were flying. My hairs long and curly so it always gets caught in the wind. I don't like it when it does that. I didn't want to go, I liked it here, I'll miss the house, and titch, aunt millies dog, and I'll miss aunt Millie, she's nice and kind, she's always smiling when I see her. Were going on "Titanic" today, to go to America, that's where I'm from, though I'm half Mexican, that's why my skins darker than other peoples here.

Some people don't like me because of that, I get shouted at in the street sometimes, they tell me to go back to where I belong, get out of their country. Daddy shouts back at them, and then they usually run away. One time they threw stones, daddy got really angry and he ran up to them and had a huge fight, I cried and screamed for help, people ran to stop them but by then the men had ran away, scared of my daddy.

He only had a few cuts at the end of it. He loves me very much, and I love him, it's always been just us. My mommy is very ill, she sometimes can't remember who me and daddy are, and she gets shaky and fever too. Daddy says that when she can't remember us, it's not her fault, and that she loves us very much, I know that too, but it upsets me when I see her when she's at her worse.

She's in a hospital in America, they had to do a big operation on her, to make her better. She would take a long time to recover, so daddy made us come to aunt Millies for a while, so we don't think about mommy as much, and worry.

I think about mommy lots though, but it's nice to visit here, and see Aunt Millie and titch. It's colder in Southampton, but I like it here with Aunt Millie, and titch, I always play with him. He has sandy hair, and he jumps around allot, but he's very friendly. Mommy's getting better now, so were going home to see her. Daddy says that we have to stay positive, but remember that she might not make it, and that the angels in heaven will look after her then. I pray that my mommy will be okay, and that angels watch over her.

"She'l be okay Joe, she's a strong child" Cora's aunt said, she loved Cora like she was her own daughter, having no children of her own. The little girl looked so much like her mother. "I know, she's a star, I don't know what would become of me without her" "Well we'll never need to find out" Millie smiled at her younger brother, and they both looked at Cora

I picked up my brown case and ran to the gate, I jumped up and daddy picked me up. "I'm going to miss you both so much!" My aunt Millie said, she hugged me and then daddy, "be sure to write, I want to hear all about what you get up to in America Cora!" I smiled at that, "We will, don't worry" daddy said "I'll speak to you soon, say bye Cora" "Bye!" I waved at her as daddy carried me away from the small house, aunt Millie waved back; she looked like she was going to cry. I buried my head in daddy's shoulder; I didn't want to see aunt Millie upset. I still waved with my free hand, and when I peeked up she was still waving, I looked at her up until we turned the corner, and faced the docks...


	2. Setting eyes on them in southampton

Southampton was very busy, packed with cars and people, I could hear voices and engines, the blowing of the ship coming out from the top bit, it sounded like a horn. Daddy carried me through all the people and cars, until we were at the railings in the queue to go on. I couldn't take my eyes off the ship; it was bigger than anything I've ever seen. In the paper I saw daddy reading, they called it "The ship of dreams" They were right, it was amazing. The cool breeze and the sunlight made it look even prettier. It was called "Titanic"; I think that was because of how big it was.

"It's a big boat aint it?" my daddy said, "Daddy it's a ship!" it was too big to be a boat, "you're right" he said, I smiled at that. I kept hold of my doll in my arm, it was my favourite doll. My mommy gave it me when I was five, and I still have it five years on. It reminds me of her when I look at it, because she gave me it. It doesn't look like her though, my mommy has skin like mine and dark brown hair, I look like her. My doll has beautiful red hair, not ginger, pure red and white porcelain skin and green eyes. Her names Ruby at the moment, I keep changing it, nothing feels really right when I name her. The wind made her hair dance too.

I caught glance at it, and then I heard a car horn. I turned round, my mouth fell open at them, three cars, one white, the other two black, with the lovely white one in the middle. I'd love to have cars like that, and to live in a big house and be 1st class, like they were. The driver stepped down and opened the door on the white car; he held his hand out to the lady inside.

I wanted to see what she looked like. She stepped out; at first all I could see was a big purple hat, it looked funny to me. When I saw her face, I gasped, she was so beautiful, it was unbelievable. She has beautiful clear skin, it was like snow. Her eyes were deep and green I think, and under her hat I could see she had curls of ruby red... she was like my doll ruby!

I want to know her name, so I can name my doll again, whatever her name was it would be perfect. I stared at her, she didn't notice, she was looking at the ship. She seemed upset, unimpressed, but it was "Titanic!" how could she not like it? She looked sad; I wondered what was wrong, what could be wrong? She had nice cloths and cars, and servants and she was beautiful, a man got out the car too, so she had a husband, he smiled when he saw the ship, he looked nice.

Another woman got out of the car too, she had the lady's same red hair, it must be her mommy. She had all that and a husband, who seemed nice, and a mommy, why was she so unhappy? I'd be the happiest person in the world if I was her. I wanted to watch them more but daddy suddenly put me down as the line started moving. Daddy held my hand so I didn't get lost.

When we were nearly on the ship a man stopped us and he looked in my hair, and daddy's, though he didn't have much of it! I don't know why he did that, it felt funny. After a minute he told us we could go on. I looked back when I was walking, he was doing the same to everyone. Then I saw a sign, it said "Health Inspection" That's weird, why did he look in my hair to make sure I was healthy? 1st and 2nd class didn't have to do it, why us? Before I could ask daddy we were on the ship, and we were walking fast, "Were gonna go on top deck Cora, wave bye to all the people" "yay!" I said, and we both ran up the stairs. Lots of people were there, 3rd class, like us, the 1st class people were higher up. I looked for the pretty lady, but I couldn't see her.

I hoped she'd have a nice time, she should do, she'll have a nice room and she has a nice family I think. Daddy picked me up so that I could see over the crowd of people, he lifted me on his shoulders. I felt like a princess, waving to the crowd, like they were all waving just for me. I pretended it was like that, I pretended I had long red hair, like the lady, she was beautiful. I hope that when I'm grown up, I'm as pretty as her.

Just then, two people ran past and snapped me out of my game, one had black hair and he wore a hat, he looked really happy and excited. The other was the one that made me stare though. He was tall and had blonde hair, he wore a deep blue coat. He was smiling, and waving bye like everyone else. His friend said something to him, I couldn't hear what he said but his accent was different, maybe from France or Spain or Italy. Then he too started waving and yelling bye. They both looked really happy, free. I liked the blonde one, he looked really nice, and he was handsome. Maybe I'd get to talk to him. I hope so....


	3. Finding G75

Authors note: Hi everyone, thanks for reading this and reviewing, it made my day lol. I hope u like this, the chapters might be fairly short but i'l write lots of them to make up for it. Enjoy, and keep reviewing please!

Everyone kept waving, we were still near the harbour but we would be leaving it soon. The blonde and dark headed guys were still waving too, I wonder why they're going to America....maybe they're going to where we are. Me and Daddy are getting mommy from the Hospital, where she's all better now, and then were going to Santa Monica, daddy says it's a seaside place, and the fresh air their will be good for mommy.

I hope there's a fair there; I want to go on a rollercoaster, a really fast one! Maybe they are going there to. "Come on Cora, we've gotta go find our room now sweetheart" Daddy took my hand and gently tried to get me to follow him. "Daddy can we see the dolphins now?" I really wanted to see them, I love dolphins, so does mommy, there are lots of dolphins in Mexico, mommy says, I want to stay and see them.

"Yeah we'll dolphins, and sharks too, out at sea Cora. There aren't any here darling." I looked down at the deck, I wanted to see the dolphins, I looked back at the dark headed Italian guy, I think he's Italian, and his friend, they were still there, leaning over the barriers, I think they were looking for dolphins too. I wanted to stay because they were as well.

"Don't look like that" Daddy said, he didn't want me to be disappointed. "We'll see lots of dolphins, and sharks at sea, there all out there, having there tea, eh?" He picked me up while I giggled at that. "So we'll let them av their tea, and we'll see the sharks later, otherwise they might eat us!" Daddy pretended to eat my shoulder, I laughed hard at that, it tickled. He carried me talking about the sharks until we were inside again and then he put me down.

"All set?" he said picking up his case, "yep" I smiled, daddy always cheered me up and made me laugh, were very close. "Let's go then" Daddy pulled out our tickets from his coat, to check our room number, the hallway was very crowded, People wandering around in all directions, I kept looking back up at Daddy to make sure he was still there, I don't want to get lost, I'd never find my way back.

"Were in G 75, so that's... er.. this way" I took Daddy's hand and we headed straight ahead, then took a left, right, another left, it was making me dizzy, it was like a giant maze, except the hedges were made of stone.

My case bumped along me legs, it took so long I wondered if we'd ever find our room. I bet the lady I saw is in her room now, it must be really big, if I was her, my favourite part of the room would be a four poster bed. My Aunt Millie used to have these magazines in her hair dresser shop, and she used to bring some home for me. I like cutting out all the pictures of rich peoples furniture and houses and I stick them in my scrapbook, I've took that with me in my case.

Once when Daddy had some spare cardboard, I stuck the cardboard together to make a house, and stuck the pictures in there. I cut out and drew some people and made them live in the house too.

I loved playing that game, I've never had a real doll's house, but if Daddy gets enough money in America, he says he can get me one for my birthday. My birthday is July 27th, so it depends how much daddy can save up, but if not this year he promises to get me one the year after, or Santa might bring me one. I bet the pretty lady had a doll's house when she was little, a really big one.

Maybe it looked like her real house.

"Almost there Cora" Daddy said which made me jump a bit, I was busy daydreaming, then the noise was just a muffle, and I didn't notice the crowd so much, but I could hear and see it all now, like it was more in focus.

I looked on a door, "G49" it said, we still had quite a way I thought. "G60, G60, s'cuse me, " I heard someone say, I looked across, it was him! The blonde person I saw. He was on the other side of me, with his friend, someone let him through and now he was ahead of us, with his friend.

If there in G60, they're near us! On a door it said "G58" his room was near here, a few seconds later we came to "G60" "oh, right here" and then they both went in. I don't know why but I really liked him, not just cos he was really handsome, there was something else, I don't know what, he seemed really nice. "Cora, G75" Daddy pointed to the door number, we were here. It wouldn't just be us in here, you share with 3 other people, daddy was one, I wonder who the others would be.

Daddy opened the door and we saw our room. It was small, but everyone could fir in it, there was a desk and a chair, a wash basin, and bunk beds! I wanna go on the top one, it looks fun. "hey, how're doin alright?" Someone said to Daddy, I couldn't see him yet, daddy was in front of me, it was a man though, he was Irish.

My daddy moved out the way so I could come in, he shook hands with the Irish guy, he wore a hat, I liked it. "I'm Joe Cartmel" Daddy introduced himself, "I'm Tommy Ryan, and who are you lil missy?" I giggled slightly. "I'm Cora" I felt shy.

"Hello Cora, that's a pretty name, sounds Irish, right?" I nodded, "It means Miracle, doesn't it" Daddy said while he ruffled my hair, I nodded again, Tommy seemed nice, but I still felt shy.

, I think he knew this as he smiled at me. "I like your hat" I said, Tommy laughed, "Do you eh?" He took his hat off and put it on me, it came over my eyes, making me and everyone else laugh. I didn't feel so shy anymore. Daddy and Tommy talked while we unpacked.

A few minutes later another guy came in, he was form Sweden, and didn't speak much English, I think he would have said more if he knew how. He shook Tommy and Daddy's hand too.

I didn't take long to unpack, I only had a few things, 3 dresses, one top and skirt, socks and knickers, my nighty, my doll and my scrapbook. I got to go on top bunk. I sat on my bed for a while. Daddy and Tommy talked, I joined in sometimes, and so did the Swedish guy, his name was Alec. At four o'clock, we all went to get something to eat.

We walked through the corridor and went outside, it was warm and sunny out, and then through a big room, it had a bar and tables and chairs in it, and two platforms,

"we're gonna dance here later aren't we Cora" Daddy said, I smiled, I loved dancing, especially Irish dancing "Aye, and get very drunk" Tommy said, and we all laughed, then we came to a big room with long wooden tables and chairs, and people were serving food on the right side. We all went to get some, I was really hungry and the sooner we eat, the sooner we'd get to see the sharks and dolphins, and maybe I'd see the blonde guy again...


	4. Meeting at last

Hi everyone, this chapter took me ages, so i hope you like it. Please read and review, any feedback is good. Thank you for reading so far, it means a lot hope you enjoy!

"Come on Cora, can't you eat a bit more?" Daddy said when I pushed my plate away. I looked at him and sighed. It was a big dinner, bigger than I thought, and I fill up quickly.

Daddy's a big eater, you can tell when you look at him, I don't mean that in a bad way, I love him very much and he wouldn't really look right if he was skinny. I'm like mommy, she doesn't eat that much, though she can eat more than me.

"But I'm full." It was true, and I'd eaten most of it. We'd had Chicken, potatoes, carrots and peas. I'd eaten all my peas, and I'd only left a few carrots and half a potato, and a bit of chicken.

We also got give bread, I hadn't touched that though, I wanted to eat the hot food first. "Aye but you won't be saying that come tonight now will you?" Tommy said to me, he said it with a smile on his face, making a joke out of it, he makes me laugh a lot, I like Tommy, but not as much as I do the blonde guy, even though I've not even talked to him.

" Just eat a bit more chicken then eh?" Daddy said, I really wasn't hungry but at least I liked chicken. I wouldn't eat lamb, ever, it's too cruel, I think .

They're only baby animals. I went to a farm with daddy and Aunt Millie a few weeks ago, we saw baby lambs there, I got to hold one, it was really soft and sweet. I don't know how people can eat them. But chicken's okay, they get to live longer and run around.

I sighed and picked up my fork and picked at bits of chicken. Daddy could see that I wasn't really eating it, "Remember, the sooner you eat it the sooner we can go out and see the sharks and dolphins."

I smiled at that, I really did wanna see them, especially the dolphins, they travel in big groups, Aunt Millie says, so we'll see lots of them.

I picked up my fork and eat properly then. I looked out the window on the left, it was sunny and warm outside, the sun shone on the water, making it look like tiny diamonds were on the water, shimmering like they were dancing in the waves.

We'd go down to the bar area, and everyone would be dancing tonight, I love dancing and I love Irish music. Tommy said he'd dance with me too.

I wonder if the blonde guy will be there, maybe he'd dance with me as well. Thinking of that made me wonder where he was now, I looked all around the hall, he wasn't anywhere, maybe he wasn't hungry. I bet he's out on deck already, looking at the dolphins, maybe we can look at them together...

"I told you we'd be late Jack no?" I heard someone say, I looked over my shoulder, it was the Italian guy speaking, he was speaking to him!"

He was there walking next to him, his blonde hair a bit windswept, I smiled at that. He was holding a brown leather folder, why does he have that? I wonder what it is, I looked and saw a bit of paper coming out the top of it, why does it have paper in.. Oh, it's an artist's folder, he's an artist! I bet he's really good, I wonder what he draws...

"S'alright, there's still food left." He said, I'd wondered what his voice sounded like, now I knew. It was a nice tone, gentle.

He was wrong about the food though, they realized that when they went to the serving stand. Most of it was gone, only a few small bits of chicken and a few potatoes left.

They got their food and sat down on the third long bench, not many people were on it, not many people were left in here, most had finished and gone out on deck.

I looked down at my leftover food, I felt bad. I had this and I wasn't even hungry, and they had hardly anything and they were hungry...well the Italian guy was, the blonde guy didn't look too bothered by it, when I had seen him throughout the day he seemed a calm person.

I'd nearly finished my chicken now, only one bite left, daddy and Tommy were talking. I lightly touched my potatoes, they weren't warm now, so they wouldn't be nice to eat, but I still had my bread.... quickly I got the napkin it was on and wrapped it up in it, and I got the little butter packet too.

I looked over at them, neither of them had any bread. I looked a bit further down n my bench, someone had left and not eaten their bread, it would only get thrown away, and no one was sitting there. I felt shy now, now that I had the chance to talk to him, but it was a nice thing to do.

Quickly I eat the least of my chicken, and swung my legs over the bench, grabbed the bread and ran around to them, I felt like I was on a mission, like a spy mission, cos I was doing everything so fast. If I thought of it that way I could do it without feeling so shy, I love having an imagination, it helps in real life too.

"Eh where's she goin?" Tommy said, oh no, I'd be spotted, I had to do this quickly.

"Cora, come back" Daddy said, he didn't shout, just raised his voice slightly, he said it in a questioning tone, like "Why are you goin over there?" I knew why.

My heart pounded, not because I was running, I'm a good runner, I was nervous, what was I gonna say, would it sound stupid? I began to doubt my idea but there was no going back now.

The Italian guy looked up at me, he'd been talking to the blonde guy, who noticed and turned around just as I got to them, they were at the beginning of the table.

He looked at me then, he had piercing blue eyes, like the sky, they were deep like you could dive into them. I don't know why but I wasn't nervous anymore.

"You don't have much food, so I got both of you these" I said happily and put the bread on the table, he looked at me while I spoke and then at the bread when I put it on the table. He then smiled at me.

"Thank you but you don't have to do that, really, it's your bread" he said with kindness, I was surprised, I thought he'd take it.

"I'm not hungry, honestly" I wanted him to have it, and his friend.

" That's really thoughtful of you but I can't take it" Why does no one understand today that I'm not hungry?

"Well, I'm not hungry, so I'm gonna leave it here, and if you don't eat it, it'll just get thrown away" There, now he couldn't find an excuse. He smiled at me, surprised by my spirit I think, another thing I get from my mommy.

"You sure?" he said, he didn't wanna take it otherwise, cos I'm 10, but I don't see it that way.

"Yeah, I'm really sure, I wouldn't offer otherwise" I smiled, he laughed, so did his friend

"Thank you, you're really kind" He said to me, I smiled at him as he did me.

"Grazie, Bella Ragazza" I giggled at that, I know that "Grazie" means thank you and "Bella" means beautiful, but I don't know what the last word was

"What's Ragazza mean?" I asked him

"It means girl, you a very beautiful girl" He said, I smiled widely at that. I liked him. The blonde guy was smiling at me too, I still didn't know his name.

"What's your name?" I asked him

"Jack, what's yours?" Jack, it suited him really well He moved up a bit on the bench so I didn't have to stand up

"Cora" I said

"Cora, that's a pretty name" He said to me, he liked my name! I looked at the folder that was on the table.

"What's that?" I said, pointing to the folder while getting on the bench

"It's a portfolio, it's where I keep my drawings." I really wanted to see them, I bet he's really good

"Can I see them?" I hope he's let me, he was really nice so I think that he'll let me, his friend laughed when I said that, I don't know why, Jack punched him on his shoulder in a friendly way but enough to get him to stop laughing

"Sure, you can see, some of them." He got the portfolio out and flicked through some until he stopped and got a few out, maybe these are his best ones, he wants me to see the really good ones, that's why he's only getting these ones out.

I thought he'd be a good artist, but this was better than good, it was AMAZING. I'd never seen better art, ever! It was like a charcoal photograph. Everything was really detailed.

"Wow, you're really, really good." He chuckled "Thanks, they didn't think too much of them in Paris though." How could people not like them? They were brilliant

"Well then people in Paris don't know what they're talking about." He laughed at that, I liked the sound of his laugh, it was musical.

"That's what I tell him, he draws all the time you know, that's why we are late." His friend said, we all laughed at that, "I'm Frabrizio, Cora."

Now I knew both their names. Jack showed me his pictures, well his best ones, he thought so, but I bet all of them are amazing. One was in Paris, he'd drawn a couple kissing near the Eiffel tower,

Another was on a park, lots of rich people were in it, near a lake, the centre of a picture was of a woman, she had really nice cloths and had an umbrella that you put up in the sun, she was smiling at him.

Another was of a little boy and his dog, and the last was of a woman in a bar, she was alone with a lot of drinks, and she wore lots of jewellery. Jack told me the story behind each picture, things about the person, the things they had. That made me realize,

"You're pictures are like story's, they tell stories." It was true, they did

"That's one of the things I like about art, you can put people's essence on paper y'know?" I nodded, I did get it

"Like when people write music based on people." Mommy plays piano, we used to have one. It wasn't new, and it was a bit tatty, but she loved it, and we loved to hear her play. She wrote a piece for me, called "Cora." It was meant to show what my personality sounded like. It was fast and jumpy in some bits, and slow and soft in others, I think it sounds like me. I think I'll tell Jack about that later. I'd love to hear what his personality sounds like on piano.

"Yeah, that's a good way to put it." He smiled, he smiled a lot when he talked to me.

"Cora, what you doin over here? What's this bread? Sorry, she likes to talk to people." Daddy came over and said to me and Jack, I wasn't annoying Jack, we were talking, at least I hope I wasn't...

"No it's fine, she's no bother, really." I relaxed again, Jack liked me been here.

"Daddy I wasn't gonna eat my bread so I gave it to them." I said quietly to daddy, I knew we'd get the whole "no it's your bread" thing again.

" I told her I wouldn't take it, she said she's gonna leave it here anyway but seriously we don't need it, nut thank you very much Cora." Jack said the last part to me, I think he didn't wanna get my dad mad, he thought that daddy would mind, but my daddy's nice, it takes a lot to get him mad, he's a placid person.

"No it's alright, you two keep it, she won't eat it anyway, stubborn as your mother aren't yer." and then daddy tickled me a bit making me and everyone laugh, afterwards he shook Jack and Fabrizio's hands and they exchanged their names. When I gotten my breath back from been tickled, I tugged on daddy's coat

"Daddy, Jacks an artist." I said, pointing to Jack's pictures. Jack looked a lil embarrassed now, he shouldn't be, he's an amazing artist. Daddy wanted to see some of his work, he's interested in arts, mommy got him into it, she'd love to see Jack's drawings. Maybe she will, if we see him in Santa Monica, if he's goin there, I hop he is..

"These are good, very good eh Cora." I knew they were amazing.

"I've been wanting someone to draw Cora, maybe you could do it later?" I looked at daddy, he'd mentioned it to me a few times before, but we'd never done anything about it. I didn't like the idea of sitting still in a room for ages. But all of Jack's pictures were of people doing what they loved, something that shows who they are, not sitting still blankly. Even if I did have to sit still I wouldn't mind, because it's him.

"Sure, I'd love to." I smiled

" Alright, we'll see you sometime then, wanna go see those dolphins now?" Daddy said to me, I wanted to stay with Jack, but we'd see him later, he'd be up on deck soon too.

"Okay, bye Jack, bye Fabrizio." I waved with one hand as I took daddy's and we walked away

"Bye Cora." Jack waved back, so did his friend, I didn't turn to look forward until we were out of the hall, I was so excited, I wanted to jump and fly, I talked to him, he's better than I imagined he would be

"Let's go find Tommy and the dolphins eh? And we'll see Jack as well later won't we?" I nodded happily, everything was going how I wanted it to....


	5. Red and Purple hats

**Authors note: Hey, thanks for reading! I know that some details in my story aren't going to be accurate, but I've decided to change some thing's to go with my plot. The ending of this story will be different to the film. This is just to let you know, hope you enjoy! **

I skipped holding daddy's hand while we went to go outside. The weather was really good, it looked like a painting, I bet Jack would like to draw the scenery. I was really excited, I felt like I could fly, I was really happy. Me and daddy were going to see the dolphins, I've wanted to see them for ages now, so I'm happy that we're finally gonna see them!

Maybe they'll jump out of the water, I hope they do, they look beautiful when they do that. Jack was going to draw me later to, though me and daddy don't know when. He was really nice, so is Fabrizo. I hope they come outside soon, then me and Jack can see the dolphins together. We walked out onto the deck, and into the brilliant sunlight. It was really beautiful when we stepped out, the sun shining brightly onto the ship, making the deck look even more beautiful, and it coated the sea with tiny glittering diamonds, moving in the waves.

I could hear sea gulls calling to each other in the sky, I looked up at them, I don't really like sea gulls, when me and daddy and mommy went to the beach once, they stole daddy's ice cream. It was funny then, we all laughed, but they're scary when the dive down. These one's stayed in the sky, so they're fine. As soon as I stepped outside the wind caught my hair, as it always does. It wasn't cold, just a cool breeze, it made strands of hair fly and my dress hem flutter too.

It's really annoying when my hair fly's around, it flew around my head and a bit fell in front of my face, "Daddy will we see the dolph- eww!" A piece of hair got caught in my mouth! It's happened before I hate it when that happens. I pulled it and pushed it away from my face, daddy said before that maybe I should get it cut a bit, but I'll never cut my hair, I like it long, I wanna grow it as long as the lady I saw this morning, I wish I had her hair colour....

"Hahahaha! Your hair's getting the better of ya" I heard Tommy say, I looked up and he was there, daddy was laughing too. I smiled, it's annoying when my hair does that, but I could see the funny side. "You need a hat don't ya" Tommy said, that reminded me.. "Cora's got a hat, your red one remember."

"Yeah, I'll go get it" I turned away from the wind and ran back inside, I could still hear the sea gulls, as if they were calling me to come back. My hair relaxed as soon as I got inside, I brushed it away from my face and walked towards the hall. I stopped at the hall doors and peered in, to see if Jack was still there. I pretended I was on a spy mission, like I did when I ran to give Jack and Fabrizo the bread. I didn't want him to see me, I just wanted to see if he was still there. I scanned the room quickly and looked to his bench, he was still there! He was talking to Fabrizo, I couldn't make out what they were saying though, but it was made me smile just to see him. He looked up in my direction, Oh no, I've been spotted! I quickly went back behind the doors, did he see me? He might have done, but only for a second.

I just wanted to see if he was still there, I hope he comes outside soon. I walked back to the corridor, to get my hat. It was red, and looked a bit like one of those French hats. My mommy gave it me before we came to Southampton, a piece of her to take with me, she said, even though she'd always be with me in my heart. I can't wait to see mommy, I'd tell her about everything in Southampton, when me and daddy and aunt Millie went to the farm, when the Christmas tree kept falling down and it took us an hour to get it to stay up! I don't think I'll tell her about when some men threw stones at me, and daddy beat them up, that'll upset her, and I don't want to make her upset. I want us all to be happy, like we used to be before she got ill. And we will be, because she's all better now. That's what the doctors say anyway... I hope she really is.

"Cora." I jumped then, snapped out of my daydream, that keeps happening to me. I knew who's voice it was... I turned around, it was Jack! I smiled, there's something about him that makes me wanna smile. I was a bit embarrassed though, maybe he saw me peering through in the hall...

"HI, where's Fabrizo?" He wasn't with him.

"He's gone outside, I think he's with your dad" He walked towards me as he talked until he was near enough to me.

"Are you alright? Where's your dad?" He got down so that he was at my level. He looked worried about me, I didn't want him to worry, but I liked the fact that he cared, I don't think that's bad of me.

"I'm fine, I'm getting my hat cos of the wind" I pulled a bit of my hair up and let it fall, he laughed when he knew what I meant.

"The wind likes your hair then. No wonder it does, you've got beautiful hair" He took a few locks of it and played with them, I smiled and giggled at that.

"I like your hair" I touched a bit of it, he laughed, it was soft.

"I bet your hats pretty too, am I right/" He asked with a grin on his face, I grinned too

"Come see" I took his hand and pulled him up so that he was standing again, and pulled him to where are room was, he laughed as I pulled. I didn't think about it, I just did it, if I thought about it I would have gotten to shy. His hands were soft, yet firm and hard skinned in some parts. He cut his nails back really far.

"Don't your nails hurt?" I asked, I think it would hurt

"No, I used to bit them when I was a kid, don't you do that though" I He pretended to tell me off, I giggled at that. We finally got to my room. I had to let go of his hand, though I didn't want to, and went into my room. I'd put my hat on top of the wardrobe, I was on top bunk so I could get to it easily. Jack stayed at the door and watched me climb up the ladder, I think that he didn't want to be rude.

"You can come in you know." He laughed and sat on the end of the bottom bunk, daddy's bed. I climbed up onto my bed and got my hat, the material felt nice, and red was my favourite colour, even more now, because of the lady with the red hair.

"It's not a big hat, like the one's rich people ware, but it's nice, and warm." I climbed down the ladder and sat next to him, I held it out so he could take it and see it better. He took it and felt the material, like he was studying it, then he smiled. "It's nice, I bet it looks good on you." He put it on my head, I laughed at that, "I was right" and then he smiled too. "It stops the wind from catching it." I explained as I got up " I like hats, one really pretty lady was wearing one at Southampton, she had red hair, like my hat." Jack smiled " Well I'll bet her hat wasn't as good as yours" I thought it was better, but I liked my hat, and I really liked jack, so I agreed. I took his hand again, "Come on, let's go outside!" He laughed and we both went outside, he told me he liked dolphins to, and that he'll draw me soon. We'll go see the dolphins together......


	6. What flying feels like

Me and Jack went back to where Daddy and Tommy were, Fabrizo was also there. Everyone said they liked my hat, but I think Jack liked it best. I like him best out of Tommy and Fabrizo, though both of them are still really nice, I like them lots too, but Jack's my favourite. I was leaning over the railing now on the side of the ship. The wind still blew around my dress and I could feel the cool breeze, but it didn't bother my hair now. Daddy and Tommy were talking, along with Fabrizo. Jack was standing next to me, we were both looking into the water, he was trying to see the dolphins with me.

"Do you think we'll see any?" We'd been looking for about ten minutes while talking, I thought they would be here by now

"Yeah we'll see them, there probably just not round this part of the ship yet" I hoped Jack was right, I'd been looking forward to seeing them all day, but talking to Jack was even better. I didn't think I'd get to talk to him today, or even ever, I just hopped I would be able to, and now we're friends. Maybe there's something magical about "Titanic." You make a wish and it comes true. It seems to be that way... I closed my eyes, I could feel the wind blowing against my face, _I wish that me and Jack get to see dolphins, lots of them, and that I'll always know him_, I wished secretly in my head to myself

"Hey you alright, Cora?" Opps, Jack must have seen my closed eyes and thought I was sick or something

"I'm fine, don't worry" I said and leaned further out to see if they were there, none yet, Jack laughed

"Don't lean to far, If you fall in I'll have to go in after ya, n trust me, it would be very cold down there" I giggled slightly, but I can take care of myself.

"I won't fall in, I can look after myself, I am ten, nearly eleven." Jack laughed at that, but he wasn't been mean, I said the last bit with a certain pride, I meant it to sound serious but it ended up sounding funny, so I laughed too.

"I guess you're right, you're the toughest girl I know" Jack said, I smiled,

"And confident" I added, Jack laughed again

"Defiantly confident." We both scanned the water and the rippling waves... that reminded me to ask him something

"Why are you going to America?" Everyone had a story to tell on that subject.

"Well, I hadn't intended on going back, but me and Fabrizo went in this bar and got talking to a couple of Swedish guys, anyway they were betting their Titanic tickets and some money, in poker, so we decided to play. I put in all our money, it wasn't much but it took us a long time to save, so Fabri wasn't too happy that I put it all in" He grinned over at Fabrizo, who heard that part and grinned back, "You took a big risk Jack, you lucky we won!" he grinned and then went back to talking to my daddy and Tommy, Jack laughed and then turned back to me " I was losing, but then I swapped one card, and that one card made all the difference. We won, and got all of their money too, and then came here." That was a really good story, Jack was adventurous, I could tell, if he took that big a risk just to come here. But, hang on....

"You've still not said why, like why did you play in the first place, why do you wanna back to America?" That was what I really wanted to know

Jack was smiling at me when I looked up "You don't miss a trick do you?" He grinned then

"Nope" I grinned back, it was fun talking here

" It's an experience, I end up travelling a lot, I like going into the unknown. I dunno what's gonna happen when I get there but I like living for now, you know? I love waking up and not knowing what's gonna happen or who I'm gonna meet, like meeting you, for instance. I just go where the wind takes me I guess. You gotta make each day count, and not waste it, I saw an opportunity and took it, that's why I'm going." Jack interested me more and more, most people have to have a plan, know what's gonna happen, but he just went where the wind took him, like he said. And he didn't waste any opportunity, he really_ lived_, I wanna be like him that way, not have a boring life, do things.

"Go where the wind takes you... I like that, when I'm older, I'm gonna be like you and travel around, you've gotta come too though." Jack laughed at that

"Yeah, we'll do that, just don't be an idiot like me and make sure you've got money first, it'll be a lot easier that way. Why are you going to America?" This would be a long story, but I wanted to tell Jack, so he'd know more about me, now I know more about him.

"We used to live in America, but then my mom got really Ill, she couldn't remember who me and my dad were sometimes, and she'd get really dizzy and have sweats and sometimes she could see things that we couldn't see. So she had to go in the hospital, and the doctors said that she had to have a big operation to make her better. Dad thought that while my mom had the operation, we should go and stay with Aunt Millie, she's my dad's sister, in her house in Southampton, so we wouldn't worry as much because we'd be busy, but we'd still think about mom a lot. I try not to worry about her, but I still do sometimes.

We came to England in February, just before mom had her operation. She took a long time to recover, and she had to have other treatment as well, but a week ago we got a letter saying that she's all better and can come home, so we got tickets and came here." Jack looked sad when I told him about mommy been Ill, but when I'd finished he looked happier, now he knew she was okay. He doesn't even know my mommy and he still wants her to be okay, I know that I would always want someone to be okay, even if I didn't know them, but most other people wouldn't care, Jack cares, I've never met anyone else like him, I don't think I ever will, and I don't want to either. We'll always know each other, even in the future, I just know it.

" I'm glad your mom's all better now." He smiled, I said "mom" and "dad" instead of "mommy" and "daddy" cos I wanted to sound more grown up, I am already, but I like saying mommy and daddy.

"Thanks, she's really nice, you'd like her, she likes art like you do. She plays piano too, that's how I knew about how people write music based on people, she wrote a song that explained my personality, she called it "Cora." It sounds like me. I smiled at him after I finished, I wanted to tell him about that since I talked to him in the food hall.

"I bet it's very energetic then." He grinned. "Your mom sounds amazing, you take after her then." He thinks I'm amazing!

"Thanks, I look like her too, she has dark curly hair and I have her skin. Some people didn't like my skin in Southampton, it's cos mom's Mexican, so I'm half. These guys threw stones at me, so dad beat them up in the street." It didn't upset me talking about it like it would some people, it was their problem, and not mine.

"Your skins beautiful, don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise." His hand touched my cheek before putting it onto the railing, it made me smile, he makes me smile, a lot!

"It doesn't bother me, it's their problem, not mine." I looked down into the waves but he kept looking at me.

"You are a very strong amazing girl, you know that?" I looked surprised, the grinned

"Thank you!" I hugged him, he laughed, I think I took him by surprise, he hugged me too

"You're welcome." I just managed to hear him say, I think my shoulder was blocking his mouth a bit, I moved slightly

"You're strong and amazing too, though you're a guy, not a girl." We both laughed at that and then we broke away to look for the dolphins again.

"So you don't know where you're going after the ship docks?"

"Nope, not a clue, I'll be on god's good humour I guess, do you know where you're going?"

"Yeah, after we get mom from the hospital we're all going to Santa Monica, for a holiday to celebrate, and cos the fresh air will be good for mom, dad says. Have you been to Santa Monica?"

"Yeah, I've been there, it's great, you'll love it. I used to do portraits their on the pier for 10 cents a piece."

"I bet that was fun, working their... is there a fair?" I'd been wondering that ever since daddy said we were going, I hope there is, I want there to be a rollercoaster...

"Yeah, there's a fair, a big one too, they've got everything there."

"Have they got a rollercoaster?"

"A really big one." Jack told me, I grinned " It goes real fast, I once went on there, I rode it three times in a row, then threw up, not a good idea." I giggled, I was planning on riding it a few times, but now I re thought.

"Maybe I'll only go on it once per-OH MY GOD LOOK!" I leaned over the railing a bit more, pointing to what I saw, Jack leaned over more too, suddenly...

"Look there!" Jack pointed to what I saw, a dolphin suddenly came up and jumped, breaking the waves. I gasped, it was beautiful, wait...

"There's more look!" Without warning two more jumped beside the one in the middle

"There's another one there, see it?!" Jack said, and I looked forward, one more broke the waves, in front of the others. It was magical, I wished for this! Daddy and Tommy and Fabrizo came to look to. Other people were also leaning over the railings, trying to see them.

"There's probably more at the bow of the ship." Jack was right, that's were dolphins usually go

"Let's go there then!" I could imagine how many dolphins they'd be there..

"Hang on... Is she alright to go, I'll take care of her." Jack asked my daddy, I knew he'd let me, he trusted and liked Jack very much

"Course you can take her, just make sure she's no trouble!" He jokingly added, I stuck my tongue out at him, making him, Jack, Tommy and Fabrizo laugh.

"Thanks, I'm sure she won't be, and I'll take care of her, come on." He said the last part to me, he held his hand out, I took it and we ran all the way round the ship, I could hear the wind in my ears as we ran, it blew against my face and body and my dress. I could taste the salt water in the sir as we got closer to the bow, and finally, we were we there. Jack lifted me up onto the railing, he stepped onto it behind me, he wrapped both hands round my waist, so I wouldn't fall, the bow was steep. The view was breathtaking, I could see for miles, it felt like miles anyway, the wind was strong and cool, blowing back parts of my hair, brushing my cheeks and making my dress flutter like a flag. We were only there a few seconds, and then...

"Look there, there Cora!" Jack pointed, one hand still firmly holding me up, I looked, the sight took my breath away Six dolphins, all jumping, breaking the waves together, some broke them in pairs, others by themselves. The sight was spectacular. I let out a laugh, I turned to look at Jack, he looked just as awe-stuck as I was, he was smiling just as I was too, he looked at me then, he smiled wider. I turned back to the ocean, and the magnificent scene below me. The dolphins were beautiful, jumping and swimming, completely free. That's how I felt now, everything I'd ever worried about didn't matter anymore. I put my arms out slightly, just enough so that the wind made me sleeves blow. This was magical, this was better than my wish. I felt so happy. Here, now, I knew that everything, even the events I don't know are going to happen yet, are going to be fine. I felt how Jack described, _alive_, because it was so magical. We looked at the dolphins more, talking about them, after about 15 minutes they went away, to find another ship, and we stared out into the horizon for a few moments. Everything was perfect, I was here, with Jack, who I really, really like, and we got to see lots of dolphins. When I'm playing, I sometimes pretend I have wings, so I can fly... but now I know what it really feels like to fly....

**Author's note: TA-da! Like it? Please R &R! Thanks for everyone who's reviewed so far, chapter 7 coming up soon! And I have a lot more chapters to write! xxx**


	7. Best girl

We were still stood on the railing, looking over the ocean into the horizon, the dolphins had been gone a few minutes but the view was spectacular, so it was nice to just look out onto the sea. I could feel the breeze and sea salt on my face, mine and jack's hair blew a bit in the wind. The sun was still making diamonds on the water. Today was perfect; I don't think anything can spoil it. Even if I hadn't got to see the dolphins, talking with Jack was really good, we know more about each other now, and cos of that, I somehow like him more, even though I thought that that was impossible... I guess today's full of surprises.

"That was amazing, all the dolphins." I said, it truly was breathtaking

"I've never seen anything like that, n I've seen a lotta stuff." That made me laugh

"Hey, a, you see dolphins no?" Both me and Jack turned and saw Fabrizio standing next to us on our left, he must have just gotten over here

"Yeah, we saw lot's, didn't we Cora." Fabrizio turned to look at me, Jack and him were smiling at me

"Yeah, we saw six, they were all jumping, it looked amazing." When I'd finished speaking Fabrizio looked down into the water, I think he was hoping to see them, but they'd all gone now, he looked a bit disappointed

"Ah, they all gone now." Me and Jack laughed, I like Fabrizio, he's funny. I felt Jack's grip on me tighten, to make sure I didn't fall. It makes me happy, to know that he cares about me, and I care about him.

"I'm not gonna fall in!" I said while laughing

"Well let me hold you up like this, just in case, it'll put my mind at rest." He laughed a bit while he was talking. Fabrizio had gotten up on the railing to now, he had one hand on a rope nearby, to steady himself. When the dolphins came Jack wasn't holding onto anything, I think he wanted to make sure I was okay, he thought that was more important. The fact that he thought that made me glow inside. I looked up at him, he saw Fabrizo holding onto the rope, I think he only just noticed it. He left one hand firmly on me, and held onto the other with the rope, he looked down at me and smiled, like we shared a secret.

"I can see the statue of liberty already, very small of course..." Me and Jack laughed, Fabrizo was really looking forward to going to America, we could both tell that he was excited. I moved myself slightly, Jack could tell I wanted to move and let go of me. I stepped down onto the third railing bar and put my legs through there, so I could sit down, I could still see the ocean, and feel the breeze. I tilted my head up towards the sun and felt it on my face, I could see shades of red behind my eyes, like you can when you close them and look up near the sun. This was perfect. After a few seconds I opened them, I looked to Jack, he looked really happy. All of a sudden he stepped up even higher on the railing, he put both his arms out...

"I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD! WOAHHHH!" He cried out, me and Fabrizio laughed hard, eventually we were all going "WOAH!!" It was really funny, I think anyone watching would have thought we were crazy. I don't care, I'm with Jack and Fabrizio and I'm happy, and that's all I care about right now.

A few minutes later we went back to where Daddy and Tommy were, when daddy saw me he opened his arms, so I could sit on his lap

"Did you see any more dolphins Cora?" He asked as I sat down on him

"Yeah, we saw lots, they were all jumping."

"That's good then." Tommy said, he was smiling too. Then we all went back to talking.

It's 5 o'clock now, Tommy just checked his watch when I asked. It's weird how me and Jack have gotten so close in only an hour. I guess we're just meant to go well together. Maybe when I'm older, I'll marry him...I'm not sure, but we'll always be friends, I know that. Jack's drawing me now, I'm leaning over the railing, daddy's holding me up, I think Jack's drawing daddy too. Daddy's talking to me about the sharks we've not seen yet. Apparently there's one that swims underneath the ship, to make the propellers spin, I'm not sure I believe that, but it's a funny story, it's making me giggle. I can see Jack out of the corner of my eye, he's concentrating really hard, he must want the picture to be really good then, so it can be one of his best ones. I can hear Tommy and Fabrizio talking.

"The ship is nice eh?" I hear Fabrizo say, I like his Italian accent

"Yeah it's an Irish ship." Tommy replies, I love Irish accents.

"It's English no?"

"No it was built in Ireland, fifteen thousand Irish men built this ship, solid as a rock, big Irish hands." I thought that the ship was built in England too, you really do learn something new every day then. Just then I could see two ship officers with dogs that the rich people had.

"Ah, that's typical, first class dogs come down here to take a sh-" I didn't hear the rest, daddy put his hands over my ears, I giggled, I knew what bad words were, people swore a LOT in England, but daddy says just cos I know them, doesn't mean I should hear them. I guess that's true. He put his hands back on my arms, so I'm guessing Tommy's not swearing anymore. Jack had turned to talk to Tommy, he's nearly finished the drawing anyway, I can see a bit of it from here, it looks really good, and I've not even seen all of it yet.

"Ah lets us know where we rank in the scheme of things." Jack joked

"Like we could forget." Jack laughed at that, it was true, people did treat third class people lower than the other classes. It annoys me, just cos we're poorer, doesn't mean we're any less a person. Things will be better in America, for me anyway, cos I'll be with mommy and daddy in Santa Monica. I hope it will be a better life for everyone else, especially for Jack. That's what everyone's hoping for when we get into America, a better life. That's why there are so many people aboard. I think we'll all get better lives, like titanic is meant to be "The ship of dreams." People say that America is "City of freedom." I used to live there before, so America's not that big a deal, but for people from different countries, like Fabrizo, I guess it is. I hope he gets a good life too, and Tommy, they've had to come a long way to get here, from Italy and Ireland. I hear Tommy and Jack introduced themselves, they haven't really got to know each other yet.

"So do ya make any money with your drawings?" Tommy asks, gesturing to my portrait, but Jack doesn't reply, I can see him staring at something. What is it? He's not drawing me, so I can turn and see. I turn round, and look at him, he's staring intently at a point, I look to where he's staring. It's... IT'S HER! The lady I saw at Southampton! She still has her hair up, but now she has a green and white dress on. The sleeves are white lace. I take in a breath, she looks beautiful. Her hands are neatly over the railing where the first class people are. She's staring out to see, like she's thinking about something deeply. She looks really sad ... why is she sad? I look to Jack, he's still staring

"Ah, forget it boyle." Tommy says, "You'd likely as angels fly out of your arse at getting next to the likes of her." It was a bad word, but daddy didn't cover my ears, we were all too busy staring at her. Jack especially. She stopped looking out to sea and glanced over at Jack, noticing that he was staring at her, like he broke her train of thought. She glanced at him and then carried on looking out, he was still staring at her... she looked over at him again, her eyes said, "why are you still staring at me?" Just then a man came over to her, he was the guy who she was with at the Southampton docks.

"Do you mind?" I heard her say when he took hold of her arm, he then said something else which I didn't hear. He seemed annoyed with her. When I saw him at Southampton, he seemed nice...now I'm not so sure. She walked away from him, to go back inside, he took his hat off, in a "for god sake!" way and followed her in. Maybe they had a argument. When she left, Tommy and Fabrizio carried on talking as normal, and daddy went back to talking to me, but Jack looked to where she was, and then out to sea... he was been really quiet. After about a minute he picked up his paper and charcoal and carried on drawing me, I didn't say anything while he drew me, I think daddy wondered why I was been quiet. Why was Jack staring at her? Did he like her? It was weird, I liked her, she was really pretty, and I bet she's really nice, but I didn't want Jack to really like her too.

When he was finished drawing me I leapt down to see it, he put one arm round me as I looked at it, it was really good, every detail he put onto paper. He truly was a great artist.

"Thank you, it's really good." I looked up at him, he smiled back, a genuine Jack smile, and it was like none of us had seen the lady, and Jack was back to normal

"Your very welcome, thanks." He smiled back. Daddy said it was really good too, and that mommy will like to see it too. When daddy went to get his wallet, Jack stopped him.

"No no, it's free of charge." Daddy asked him if he was sure, and jack said he was, my daddy thanked him again. I sat with Jack and we talked for a bit, about his art and stuff, he seemed to be okay now, though he was still a little quieter than he was. Daddy started talking to Jack, so I went to see what Fabrzio was saying. He told me about Italy, and his family and how he hoped he'd make money in America so he could send it home to his mommy and sister, and they'd have a better life too. His daddy died five years ago, so it's just been him and his mommy and sister, Isabella. She's fourteen. He's twenty, I found out, so is Tommy.

We stayed out there till it started to just get dark, and the light started to go a blue colour, but it's not quite dark yet.

"We better go now Cora, It'll be dark soon." I looked over at Jack, he said he was gonna go inside too, but he'd probably comeback out later. He was still acting...not like Jack, quieter, like he had something on his mind. It made me a bit upset. I looked down to the floor, Tommy and daddy and Fabrizio were talking.

"Hey Cora, what's the matter?" I shook my head, keeping my eyes on the ground. Maybe it was me, had I done something wrong? He looked more concerned now

"Come on, you can tell me, huh?" I looked up at him, I got closer so I could talk quietly, I didn't want anyone else to hear.

"You're been quieter, not been yourself." I half whispered " Did I do something wrong..." I said even quieter, Jack laughed at that, he looked into my eyes

"Cora, you could never do anything wrong when it comes to me. " He smiled, that made me smile too "I'm sorry I've not been talking much, I just got thinking bout stuff, but I'm fine, don't worry about it, you're still my best girl alright?" He grinned, I grinned too

"I didn't know I was." I laughed, I wrapped my arms around his neck, he laughed and hugged me too

"Well you do now." He laughed. We broke apart, still smiling. Jack liked me best, out of everyone!

"Come on, we're going now." Daddy said

"Okay." I said bye to everyone else, Fabrizio said bye and went ahead with Tommy, he didn't really need to say bye, we were in the same room. Daddy was busy putting his coat on a bench away.

"You gonna be okay now?" Jack asked, he went down to my level, I nodded.

"Good." He smiled, "I'll see you later then."

"See you." He hugged me this time, and then, when we broke away, I dunno why I said it but..

" Love you Jack." I called after him when he walked a few steps away.

He turned round and smiled and laughed, looking surprised

"Love you too Cora." He went up to me and tossed a bit of my hair. We both smiled and then turned away. For about the hundredth time today, I felt like I could explode with happiness. Jack had said bye to daddy before he had said bye to me, so daddy didn't think that it was strange that he left before us. We walked back to our room, maybe we'd go to the dancing later. Whatever we did I'd be just as happy, as I thought of the amazing day I'd had....


	8. Dreams

**Authors note: Hey, I didn't expect to write this story line in this chapter, but I had the idea on the way home, and thought it would be good. I hope you like it, I should be updating again on Sunday. Hope you all like this and enjoy! Thank you for reading so far. Please read and review, any feed back is useful. Enjoy!xxx**

As I walked along the deck with daddy, to go inside, I felt nothing but pure happiness. So many good things have happened today, talking to Jack, seeing the dolphins, Jack drawing me, learning more about Jack and Fabrizio, and him learning more about me... and, him saying he loved me!! Today I felt like I was about to explode so many times, or that I could fly around the world. I looked up at the deep indigo blue sky, clouds drifted across its landscape, like they were sailing too. There was a full moon out, mommy has always told me that full moons bring change. I hope that it only brings good change, and not bad, but at the moment, I don't see how anything can be bad. The wind's cooler now, and the breeze is stronger as it brushes my face and hair, the hem of my dress waves in the wind too. Maybe Jack won't come back out here tonight, it's cold now, and I bet it's gonna get even colder. I shiver as the wind chills more, I really wanna get inside! It seems to take forever to reach the entrance, like the more steps we take, the further back we go.

" God, it's freezing now! Don't worry Cora, we'll get inside now." Daddy says as he rubs my shoulders trying to keep me warm. Tomorrow I think I'll take my coat with me, so I can put it on on the way back. I look up at daddy, he's not as cold as me, he never really feels the cold much. One time, when me and mommy and daddy were all together, it snowed really heavily, six inches of it on the ground! Daddy took me sledging that morning, like everyone else was. It was really cold, I had two pairs of tights on under my dress and jumper, and a big coat. It was freezing to me, but daddy just went out wearing a thin shirt and jumper! And other cloths of course! So for him to be freezing, it has to take a lot... and the chilly sea breeze took did that. My hands were numb, I couldn't feel my fingers, I wriggled them about in daddy's hand to make sure they were still there. It seems silly now I've done it, but it can happen, people's finger's dropping off in really cold weather. There used to be a man who worked in the shoe repair shop, in Southampton, and he had four of his toes missing, when he went to Alaska. I never saw his foot, but I believe him, he's not the sort of man to lie, and sometimes he limps a bit. Finally the light in the entrance becomes closer, and in a few seconds, were inside

" That's better, phew." Daddy sighed and took his hat off as the warm air hit us when we walked in. I sighed relief, I couldn't stand been out in the cold for much longer. I took my hat off too. There wern't many people in the hallway where we were, some were walking towards the bar area. I wonder if we're going there tonight. We started walking to where are room was. We'd had to go in the entrance nearest the end of the ship, as the other one was closed for some reason, I think someone got sick there and they had to clean it up... eww...anyway, cos we'd gone in the further entrance we had to walk past the hall and the bar area to get to our room. Soon we passed the bar area, I slowed down my walking pace to look in. It was quite a big room, it had two stages and tables and chairs all round the edge, and a bar in the corner. Some people were already in there, all were men, I looked for Jack but he wasn't in here, so he must be in his room now. In the corner an Irish band were setting up. I smiled, I loved Irish music, so does mommy, and daddy likes it too. One of the band people looked up and saw me, he smiled back, I waved, now that I'd seen the instruments, I really wanted to go tonight. We came out of the bar area then and walked across the corridor. The more we walked I noticed how bright the light was, it was making my eyes heavy, and they kept closing, even though I begged them to stay open, and my legs got heavier too, like I was been pulled under by something. As we walked I could hear daddy talking to me, something about the cold and warmth and Jack, but I wasn't really listening. I didn't mean to be rude, but I couldn't concentrate, I felt really sleepy. It was only six, and I usually get tired at eight, I think it's the sea air, and all the things that have happened today that are making me tired.

"You tired Cora?" Daddy said as I tried to keep my eyes open while we walked along, I nodded, "mmm" I mumbled, G68, we were near to our room now. I felt frustrated then, I really wanna go to the bar and dance tonight, but now I think I'm too tired., even though I beg my eyes to fly wide open and my legs to feel lighter, and feel more awake, I can't. " Maybe we'll leave dancing till tomorrow then eh? Get you some sleep."

"But I really wanna go tonight."

"I know, but you'll be falling to sleep while dancing, won't ya eh?" I smiled slightly, daddy was tryin to make a joke out of it, to cheer me up, he was always good at that, it worked a bi.

"Jack will be there tomorrow won't he? You can dance with him then can't ya?" I suddenly felt a bit more awake now that daddy had said Jack's name. It made me smile, inside and out. I felt more peaceful, now that I was thinking about him. We reached our room then, daddy opened the door, the light was dimmer in here, which made it easier for my eyes.

"You tired then, lil miss?" Tommy said grinning, I smiled and nodded. I climbed up to my bed, it was nice and soft here. Daddy was talkin to Tommy bout how I suddenly got tired

"Aye, I bet It'l be all that sea air." Tommy said. "You not goin dancing tonight then?" I shook my head

"I am tomorrow though." I said with determination, which made him and daddy, and me laugh, as I realized how funny it sounded when I said it like that.

"Well save me a dance then." He winked at me, I giggled, Tommy made me laugh, a lot.

It was seven now, I'd gotten changed into my night dress about ten minutes ago. Tommy and daddy were talking. I felt relaxed, and a bit more awake than I was. I was in bed, sitting up under the covers, it was comfortable. I reached behind me and pulled out my scrapbook. I turned the pages to see all the rich people's furniture and cloths and houses that I'd cut and stuck down. Looking at it made me think of the lady, I saw at Southampton and today, in the first class area on the ship. She looked so beautiful, everyone thought so... but she was so sad. Why was she sad? She had pretty cloths and she was beautiful, and she had her mommy with her, and her husband.. What could she be sad about. Her daddy wasn't with her, where was he? Maybe that's why she's sad because she's not with her daddy. Maybe he's in America, like my mommy is. I hope he is, and that she'll get to see him in America, so she won't be sad anymore. America seems to be making a lot of people happy, like Fabrizio, and me, cos I get to see my mommy soon. Jack thought she was pretty, that's why he kept staring at her. I wonder how much he likes her...more than me? No, I remembered, he said I'm his best girl, so that means he likes me best. I smile to myself at that. I hope I get to talk to the lady, and she'll be nice, I think she is, she's just sad, but she'll be happy in America, with her daddy, hopefully. Maybe I'll see her in Santa Monica, her and Jack, and then she can be my friend too, though Jack's my best friend, maybe she will be too.

"Cora, me and Tommy are gonna go to the bar for about an hour, you gonna be okay?" Daddy said to me. I looked at him, people seem to know when I'm daydreaming, and then snap me out of it. I nodded

"Yeah, I'll be fine." I smiled

Daddy smiled back, "Okay, Alec's already there, Tommy said, and I'll lock the door, so no one can get in, alright?" I nodded, I knew daddy wanted to keep me safe. He hugged me and kissed my head, I giggled and hugged him back.

"See you later, love you."

"Love you too." I sunk down more under the covers, I looked over at Tommy, he was smiling at me

"Take care Cora, I'll av a drink on you eh?" He winked, I smiled and laughed

"Bye." I said, they said bye too, and then they were gone.

I sighed, I felt more tired in the quietness, I sat up and stretched out to turn the light off , sometimes I'm scared of the dark, but I'm too tired now, and the darkness is soothing. I close my eyes. Thoughts go through my head, Jack, the lady, Dolphins, Tommy, Mommy, and full moons. They bring change, like mommy says. I hope it only good change, and nothing bad happens here, I feel myself slowly drift off, nothing bad can happen here...

_I'm walking across the pier. It's sunny, and the sky's a perfect blue, with only a few white clouds drifting across. I'm looking down at my feet, walking along in my high heeled shoes. I'm wearing a green and yellow summer dress, it's July, I don't know how I know, but I just do. The dress is layered ,and has a light tulip pattern. At my waist is a gold sash. I'm taller, I look... curvier. I look to my shoulder, my hair's longer, it cascades down further to my chest, instead of just below my shoulders, like it is, like it was then. I look out to my left, I can see the sea, it's like diamonds, again. Seagulls are calling from above, in front of me is the fair. I step towards the water, and gaze at my reflexion. I gasp. I'm older, instantly I know I'm seventeen, I don't know how, but I just know. My skins clear and smooth, my features look more mature, my hairs a shiny chocolate brown, longer than what it was. I don't wanna be vain but.. I think...I look...beautiful? Yeah, I think I do. I smile, surprised by my reflection again. I look up, smelling the sea salt and hearing the waves. The breeze still makes my hair dance in the wind. Suddenly, I can hear someone coming towards me, calling my name. And then..._

"_Cora!" Right in front of me was Jack, he looked the same. He grinned at me, I grinned too. "Come on, let me show you something." He grabbed my hand and we both ran through the crowds, I laughed all the way, until we were right in front of a rollercoaster._

"_You said we'd go on here." I grinned, my voice was different too, more mature, but I still sounded like me. _

"_I don't break promises." He smiled and grabbed my hand again, we both stepped into the carriage, my heart was racing, I was excited. The carriage started to move, going upwards, towards the big drop. I squeezed Jack's hand tightly, my palm sweating form exhilaration. I looked at Jack's face, but his smile had gone, he was staring at something, I looked to my right. My smile was wiped too. Everyone was staring horrified at the giant wave coming towards us. It got bigger, and higher, until eventually it was towering above us and then_

"_Jack!" I shouted, petrified above the screams, the carriage had stopped and we were near the top_

""_Don't worry, I've got'cha." He shouted and then...._

"_JACK, JACK!" I raised my head above the flooding water. We were back on Titanic, in the corridor. Water was pouring in, everyone was trapped, screaming for their lives. I was still seventeen. I looked around frantically, until I caught sight of him, a few strokes away. _

"_CORA!" He shouted and got to me before I was sucked under again. He grabbed my waist tightly and clung to me to pull me up. "We have to move, now!" He looked into my eyes as I nodded, petrified. Oh god, was I going to die? The water kept flooding in, making waves as more came in. The screams were deafening, terror in people's eyes. People were drowning, fighting for their lives all around. I grasped Jack's hand tight as we began to wade, struggling against the water, our way out. I looked behind me. _

"_Stop! Wait!" I yelled to Jack, he turned round to see what I saw. She was there, the lady. On the opposite side to us, but only five or so strokes away. She looked petrified, her eye's begged for us to save her. Jack looked from me to her. He wanted to save me, but he wanted to make her safe to. "Come on!" We tried to get across to her, our hands outstretched, she tired to reach us, but the pull of the water was too strong, even for Jack. I tried and tried to get to her, so desperate to save her too. Jack did as well, I could see his determination and stress as he couldn't get to her. Her eye's screamed her panic. The water flooded more, filling u. I tried one last time and caught her hands, she looked at me, scraed but grateful, Jack caught them too. We tried to pull, but the water wouldn't let us. It filled up even more, tour chest, shoulder's, our necks, and we screamed for help, along with so many other's, the sound of people's screams and the rush of the waves filled my ears until the water poured in one last time and came over us, pulling us down and..._

"Cora! Cora! Wake up!" Daddy shook me. My eyes flew open. I could hear myself screaming. I stopped and looked around. The lights were on, Tommy and Alec were looking over at me worriedly.

"Are you alright sweetheart?" Daddy said, he was worried too. I sat up, gasping for breath, my eyes slowly began to lose their panic as I remembered where I was. I looked down at my hands, lifting them up and turning them over, they were smaller again. My hair was just below shoulder length. I turned to look at the clock, 3:10am, it said. Everything was back to normal.

"I'm okay." I said shakily." I had a bad dream..."

"You wanna talk about it?" Tommy said caringly. I told them about the water part, and getting sucked under. Alec handed me a glass of water, I was sweating so much. He looked sympathetic, though I'm not sure he understood my nightmere, since he didn't understand much English.

"Don't worry Cora, it's just a dream." Tommy said, it was 3:40 now, and I'd calmed down. "I used to dream I was been chased by a big purple monster, and that never happned, at least I hope it doesn't..." I giggled, trust tommy to lighten the situation.

"Don't worry, nothing's gonna hurt you, you're gonna be fine, nothing bad's gonna happen. Mummy wouldn't want you to be upset, would she?" I agreed, she wouldn't want me too worry.

"I'm okay now." I smiled weakly, and once they were sure I was okay, the light went out and we went back to sleep. I stayed awake for a bit. Mommy believe's in dreams meaning things, and tonight is a full moon... maybe that's was a sign, that something bad might happen. No, it can't be, why would anything bad happen, we're all safe here, I know that could that really happen? Everything will be fine, I have jack to protect me anyway. I relax now and close my eyes, I looked pretty when I was seventeen, I wonder if I'll really look like that, and if jack will be there. I drifted off to sleep, only this time, there was no drowning. Me and Jack were on the ship, like we were today, at the bow. It was sunset, and the dolphins were back again, six again, jumping and diving into the calm sea, as we sailed into the horizon...


	9. An angel in steerage

**Authors note: Hey, I know this update's late but I've been busy with school work, unfortunately it takes up a lot of my time. Thanks for reading so far, and the next update will be Friday or Sunday. Hope you enjoy, and please read and review! Any feedback is useful and helps me to carry on writing. Xxx**

I opened my eyes sleepily to the sunlight streaming in from our window. The sea gulls were calling to each other again, like they were yesterday morning. Slowly I sat up and looked around. I hadn't had any more nightmares since I woke up last night, only one good dream. I smiled sleepily then, when I thought about the dream I had about me and Jack, seeing the dolphins at sunset. I wonder what he dreams, maybe it'll be about me too...I can here Tommy and daddy talking, my eyes are getting more focused now, until I can see clearly. I look to my left and see Alec. He's putting on his shoes, I like him, he's nice, even though I can't say much, I think he would do if he could speak better English. He looked up at me then.

"Good morning, Cora." He smiled, I smiled back.

"Morning." If he knew more English, I'd talk to him, but he doesn't know much, and I don't wanna embarrass him if he can't understand me, so I just smile back. I think he understands.

"Hey Cora, you alright?" Daddy said from his bunk below, I could tell he was worried that I might have had another bad dream.

"I'm fine, don't worry." I said happily and smiled, I was still thinking about the dream. I'd put the other one out of my head, it was just a nightmare, nothing bad is really gonna happen. Daddy smiled at me, he looked relieved.

"That's good, I was worrying about you." Daddy said, I told him he didn't need too, I was fine.

" No more bad dreams then I take it." Tommy winked at me, I giggled.

"Nope." I swung my legs over the bed and Jumped off the first step of the ladder to the ground. Everyone else was dressed by now. I looked up at the clock, 9:10 it said.

"Are you planning on going around in your night things all day?" Tommy joked with me.

"No!" I laughed and stuck my tongue out, making myself and everyone else laugh too. Daddy and Tommy went back to talking, Alec said bye to us and went out, I think he was going to see his Swedish friends, where he could actually talk to them. I bet he finds it a bit difficult, sharing a room with people who don't speak much of the same language as you. Maybe it helps him been here, so he can pick up more English. I opened the wardrobe door, I took out a different dress this time, it was like the other one but with white and brown checked sleeves, tights, my shoes, knickers and I got my tooth brush and towel. Hang on... I didn't brush my teeth yesterday, or have a wash. I was so tired I forgot.

"Bathroom's down the right on the first left door." Daddy told me as I walked to go out.

"Okay, see you later." I said and turned the handle.

"Don't get lost!" Tommy called, I laughed and shut the door.

I shivered as soon as I got into the corridor, it was colder out here, with the sea breeze blowing in from the doors leading to the deck. Everyone else who passed me was dressed, I felt silly walking around in my night dress, please let me find the bathroom soon...

"Haha, Bella Cora, you not dressed yet, no?" I looked up and saw Fabrizio laughing and smiling at me, I laughed too. I looked on the door we were at, "G60." Their room. He was just leaving his room, about to shut the door, until he saw me, so it was a bit open. I looked in, Jack wasn't there, Just their two room-mates, and... Alec was in there too, talking in rapid Swedish to them, they must be his friends! He seemed happy with them, I was glad he has them to talk to here. But Jack wasn't there...

"I'm getting ready now, where's Jack?"

"Ah, he got back to our room very late, I ask him why but he won't tell me. He's on deck now, he said, you never know with Jack sometimes." He smiled, I smiled back, but I was confused.

"Okay, see you later." I said bye to Fabrizio and carried on walking, I hope he didn't think I was been rude, saying bye quickly, but I had to figure out what Fabrizio had said. Why was he back late? Fabrizio is his best friend, and if he wouldn't even tell him, then it must be really important. A few seconds later I found the bathroom door. It was cool inside, someone had left the window open. It was quite small, with a shower, toilet, bin and Sink. The tiles were a bit wet from where someone else had used the shower. I walked carefully, trying not to slip over and looked out of the window, maybe I'll see jack from out here. I leaned out as far as I could, but it only let me see part of the deck, and I couldn't see him. I sighed and leaned back inside and shut the window. Was Jack okay? Was he upset, had something bad happened to him? I really, really hoped he was okay. I thought about him and asked God to watch over him, and make him okay and happy. I always ask god to help people if there not well or upset. I ask god to look after mommy every day. He must be doing that, cos she's better now. Now I hope he can help me take care of another person. I prayed and asked while I brushed my teeth and spat into the sink filled with water. I love doing that and then watching the patterns form on the water. Today one bit of toothpaste looked like a star, and another like a bird, I think it was a sea gull. The star means that everything's going to be good today, I think and drain the water, and then refill it to wash my face. I try to get dressed quickly, so we can see Jack sooner. "Ow!" I slipped over on the tiles trying to put my tights on to quickly, I banged my knee. It hurts, but only for a few minutes. The pain quickly goes, I sigh and sit on the toilet seat while putting them on this time. The floors slippy from the water, I'm glad I brought my shoes so my tights don't get too wet. I put them on and then go out the bathroom door into the corridor. Now we can go see Jack! Somehow, I don't know how but I know he's okay now, I can feel it. I feel warm inside whenever I think about him, which is weird, I mean, I've only known him one day, but it seems like I've known him forever, cos we get on so well. I skip along the corridor, feeling like I have butterflies inside me, I feel so happy. The weathers perfect again, it's getting warmer now and the sun's raising more. I look over to outside, people are out on deck, talking and laughing, everyone's happy here, it seems impossible not to be. But wait... hang on...what about... I slow down my skipping pace, and gasp, it all makes sense!

It's her! It's gotta be her! She's why Jack was out late! He couldn't stop staring at her yesterday, and then he went all quiet...maybe he was thinking about her, why she was so sad... and then he went back out, Fabrizio said... to think about her. It makes sense now, she has to be the reason. The warm feeling I had faded out, and the butterflies weren't the same, they weren't flying happily now, they were buzzing around, panicking, worried. Why was he thinking about her so much? Didn't he like me as much as her.

"Cora, you could never do anything wrong when it comes to me." I remember him saying

"You're still my best girl alright?" I smile now, the warm feeling coming back to me. He did say that, and I could tell he meant it. I can picture him saying it to me, his smile, and genuine eyes. I skipped again, happy now, I was his best girl, and he liked me lots, like I liked him. A few seconds later I turned the door handle to our room.

"You didn't take long did you?" Tommy said, looking surprised that I was back so quick. 9:17 the clock said, I giggled, daddy took my hand.

"Shall we go get breakfast then?" I nodded

"Yep." And then we all went down to the food hall again. It's as busy as it was at dinner yesterday. I look for Jack but he's not there, nither's Fabrizio, they must have already gotten something. When we were done we go out onto the deck. Brilliant sunshine again, but the wind was still as breezy. As we walked across I couldn't see Jack anywhere. Where was he? Fabrizio said he'd be here. I looked in the window as we walked, into the seating area. Lots of people were in there. I cross my fingers behind my back _"Please let him be there."_ I whisper. I open my eyes quickly...nothing yet, just an old couple-wait...is that...yes! He's there! He's sitting on the end of the bench with his sketch pad. I have to go see him.

"Daddy, can I go in there?" I tugged on his coat in pointed to the seating area. He looked in and saw Jack; he smiled, knowing Jack's the reason why I wanna go in.

"Yeah, you go ahead, I'll get you in a bit." Daddy said to me, I smiled

"Okay, bye!" I called as I ran inside to the nearest entrance. I walked into the corridor, and then down it so I could get to the seating area. I could hear a piano been played faintly, and as I got nearer the sound got louder. It reminded me of mommy, she used to play this tune. She will play it again, and all the others. Now I can hear the piano loud and I'm there. I walk through the double doors looking around. Lots of people are hear, it sounds as if they've took people from every country and put them all together. There's every age in here to, from babies to old people. It feels like we're all together, a group. Just then a boy with a shoe he's banging on the floor crawls past me, whys he... eww...he trying to hit a rat! I don't like rats, but even so, it shouldn't get hurt, it probably just wants to run away, not to him. I watch him go around the corner of another bench and then look forward walking. I smile as I walk, he's not noticed me yet, he's looking at something he's drawn. Then he looks up, taking a few seconds to register I'm here, the way you sometimes do when you un-expectedly see someone. He grinned at me, I beamed back and ran to him. This is what I've wanted to do since I woke up.

"Hey Cora." He said brightly while hugging me.

"Hey!" Then we break away, he's still smiling at me.

"Sit right here, you alright?" He asked me while moving his art stuff so I can sit down.

"Yeah, I had a bad dream though, the whole ship was flooded, you were in it too. " I told him about it."Jack listened without interrupting while I talked. After I finished Jack spoke.

"Nah, don't worry that'll never happen here, not unless someone leaves the water running." He grinned, making a joke out of it,, we both laughed.

"Why were you out really late, you won't even tell Fabrizio, did something bad happen?" I hoped he'd tell me. He smiled, the way he had when I asked him again why he's going to America, and he said _"You don't miss a trick do you."_

"I just told him now. I went out there just to think, you got me thinkin about my future and stuff, just to clear the air y'know?" I know he's telling the truth, but there's something else he's not saying, I keep staring at him, he knows then that I know something else.

"Alright, I'm tellin you this cause I trust you, can you keep a secret?"

He told me everything then, about how she'd ran past him when he was thinking, and how she wanted to kill herself! And then how he persuaded her to come back over. He saved her life. And then how he'd nearly gotten arrested, cause the officers thought that he was gonna hurt her, Jack said. And then how he got invited to dinner today by her fiancée. BY the end my mouth was hanging open.

"Wow... you saved her life... " I wasn't surprised though, Jack would risk his life to help someone else, that's the kind of person he is.

"I would've done that for anyone... but this girl, I mean, she looked really distressed.. And that Cal guy, her fiancé, he's a... nasty piece of work." He tried not to swear at the end, I giggled at that.

"At Southampton, I was so sure he was nice, he looked nice then."

"Yeah, that's what he wants people to think, I can see right through that guy."

"Hopefully so won't marry him then." I say, jack looks like he means the same

"Hopefully not."

Then I remembered, the one thing I wanted to know...

"What's her name? " I asked

"Rose, Dewitt something, it's a long name."

"Rose." I repeated, it was perfect for her, and my doll now. "Like her hair." I meant the colouring of it. Jack just smiled, I think he liked her name too.

After a few minutes we stop talking about it and talk about other things, Jack taught me to draw a bit, its okay, but I'll get better

"Not bad, that's good Cora, get even better with practice." He smiled down at me. Behind us is Fabrizio, I said Hi to him a few minutes ago. He's met someone, she's called Helga, she's from Norway. She can hardly speak any English, but I can tell from her smile that she's really nice. I've been here with Jack for about an hour now.

Tommy's here too, he's looking through Jack's drawings. "Not bad, very good." He comments on one. Just then daddy comes down and sits with us, he talks to Jack for a while. The piano's still playing the familiar tune. I'm concentrating so hard trying to draw better that I almost don't notice when the music stops, and the room turns silent. Realizing that the only sound I can hear is my pencil on the paper I stop and look up.... Oh...my...God....

She comes down the stairs in a yellow and white dress with gold embroidery. Her beautiful red hairs put up, and her skin looks even more porcelain clear in the sunlight. As she walks down the deck, it's almost like she's gliding, like an angel. Some people take her hat off to her as she walks, like they would to a queen or princess. That's what this reminds me of. Suddenly it's not 1912, but back years to somewhere like 1563, where the princess walks down the stone walls of the castle to her royal subjects. She nods at them polity. She looks uncomfortable in all the attention, and like she has an aim to do something. She's coming towards us I realize then. Jack looks at me, confused by my staring into what he must think is space. He turns around and then sees her, his face suddenly changes then, like he can't believe she's here. No of us can, what would a first class lady be doing in steerage. He stands up to greet her. Slowly the atmosphere of the room returns, people start to talk again and the piano begins to play, but it's not quite the same, as everyone's still wondering about the beautiful lady.

"Hello Mr. Dawson." Her melodic voice rang, it made me gasp a little.

"Hello." Jack felt a lil awkward, in front of everyone I think.

"May I speak with you." She seemed like she really needed to talk with him

"Yeah."

"In private.." She felt a bit awkward too.

"Yes of course." He got his art things to go. He looked at me, I smiled, he smiled back... I hope he still likes me best.

"Still my best girl." He winked at me and said quietly. I smiled widely. Tommy looked at Jack gobsmacked, Jack hit him on the shoulder, so he wouldn't laugh. Me, daddy, Fabrizio, Helga and Tommy all watched them leave, until they were out of sight. Tommy looked at Fabrizio and Helga and then me, then he laughed, we all did, they couldn't believe that the girl that Tommy said Jack would never get to meet came down here and met him.

"Blimey, you won't see that happening everyday will ya?" Daddy said. We've never seen a first class person mix with third class. I think it should happen though, I mean, they have money and we don't have as much, but I don't understand why that has to matter. After talking to everyone else me and daddy eventually go to look at the sea. I hope I get to meet her too, and I'm still Jack's best girl, which is very good. I hope I get to talk to her and then we can all be friends. It's twelve now, we'll be going to lunch in a minute. I think Jack we'll still be talking to her. Or maybe he'll bring her down here. I'm leaning over the railing again, gazing into the glittering sea. So far, everything I've wanted to come true has, so maybe us all been friends will too....


	10. Swing sets

Lunch passed by quickly, me Tommy, daddy, Fabrizio and Helga were back in the seating area now, at 12:45. Everyone was still talking about Jack and the lady, Rose. No one could believe that she actually came to see him. I didn't see what the big deal was, so yeah, she's first class, and he's third, but that doesn't mean that they can't be friends. He saved her life, he could have gone over himself, I shudder when I think about that. But no, he's okay, and he saved her. So if she wants to talk to him, she can, can't she? I just thought where was her fiancée when she was trying to kill herself? Why wasn't he there? Maybe he was asleep when it happened, or still at dinner...but why wouldn't she talk to him if she had a problem. They were getting married, you should be able to tell the person you're marrying anything, because they love you. Mommy and Daddy tell each other everything, they're very much in love, although they haven't had a chance to talk to each other lately, but that'll change when we get to America.

"Well I never, Jack Dawson with a girl like her." Tommy said and shook his head at the thought. I'd have to think about Roses fiancée later. I looked over at Helga, she was really pretty, like the pictures that are on biscuit tins of blonde Swedish are Norwegian girls. She caught my glance and smiled, showing her pearly white teeth, I smiled back. Her hair was up but I think it's wavy when it's down. I can tell she's trying to follow the conversation, but she doesn't speak much English. Every now and then Fabrizio turns to her and uses actions are simpler phrases are repeats it to her slowly so that she can understand. Every time she understands a new sentence her eyes light up and she smiles widely, excited that her English is getting better. Fabrizio loves her, I can tell, he looks at her like she's the most amazing thing ever. I hope they pair up and get married, they're well suited, and he can teach her more English, and maybe she can teach him Norwegian.

"Sorry love, you must be getting a bit bored here." Daddy said to me when he noticed I hadn't said anything for a while. Usually, I would love to sit here and talk to everyone, but it wasn't the same without Jack, and everyone was soo obsessed about "How could she come to see Jack." And " why do you think she's here." Jack and Rose can be friends if they want to, what's the big deal!?

"Why don't you go out on deck and find someone to play with?" Daddy suggested. I hadn't really spoken to anyone my age since I got here. I had plenty of friends in America, not so much in Southampton, but where ever I was I always liked to talk to adults too. But this time I think I'll try and find some people to play with.

"Okay." I said happily and said bye to everyone and then made my way out onto the deck.

Surprise surprise, windy again! The sun was still shinning, we've not had weather this good since leaving America. There were lots of people my age about, there were five girls in one group, on the right side of the deck, three of them had dolls with them and they were all playing with them. They all looked like they were friends already, and were so busy in their game that I don't think they would have wanted another person in their party, so I left them to it. In the middle of the deck there were nine boys playing football, with two in goal. This was more my kind of game. I always played football back in America with the kids where I lived, boys and girls. The ball passed one boy and if I ran a few steps, it was be within kicking reach. I ran up and kicked the ball hard down the middle of the deck, the boy in goal got took by surprise and in his shock the ball flew straight in. I let out a satisfactory smile.

"What are you doing, you're not playing, girls can't play football." A boy went up to me and shouted in his Irish accent. He had brownish, reddish hair and freckles. He seemed full of himself.

" They can too, why, afraid I'll beat you?" I challenged as I stepped up to him to our noses were practically touching, to show that he can't push me around, I'm not gonna be scared of him. We were exactly the same height I noticed.

"Don't be stupid, girls can't play, I bet you're rubbish anyways." He said, even though he had just seen me score. I was about to say this when he pushed me, knocking me back and I fell t the ground. I glared at him, quickly getting up. The game had stopped and all the boys, and most of the parents and other children were staring.

"DON'T PUSH ME!" I shouted and pushed him hard in his chest, knocking him hard to the ground. The other boys were mumbling about the new tough girl. I'm not mean, but I don't let anyone mess me around. I looked up, everyone was staring. Oh no, was I going to get into trouble, what if his mommy saw.

"Good on ya girl, he needs a good kicking sometimes." A woman with the same shade of hair as he had said to me. I realized then that she must be his mommy. She had her hair up and a new born baby in her arms. "BENJIMAN, get up ya silly git." His mommy said jokingly, but with enough serious tone. "Say sorry to the young lady."

"s-s-sorry." Benjamin stuttered, still in shock.

"Apology noted ." I said and smiled and walked away. It wasn't technically an acceptance, I know, but he was really mean, and maybe that would teach him a lesson in future, to not be mean to other people, and not to be so sexist. By now the game had started again and the chatter had returned to normal. I went to where to railing was to separate third from first class. There had always been a barrier between the classes, it was just now that the railing cemented that fact. As I looked up, I could see a pair of shiny black small heeled shoes appear and disappear, appear and disappear again. That's weird. I stepped further back to try and see why... oh my god, they have swings! There were a set of four swings all in a line, with a shiny white frame and silver chains, and padded seats. I'd never seen a more luxurious swing set. I love swings, when I went to the park I would always chose the swings first, seeing how high I could go and screaming when my stomach turned in knots. There were two girls on the swing set, but both got off them and walked away. I wish they had swings down here...suddenly I have an idea. And it's a lil crazy, I could get caught, but I look nice, my dress is clean and my shoes are clean too, although my clothes are nothing near as fancy as the one's the first class girls wear. None of the officers are occupying that area. I quickly look back at the crowd down here, nobody's watching, to be honest they'd probably cheer me on if they did see me. Quickly without thinking I climbed up and over the railings, I was now in first class. I smiled, I felt excited, another spy mission by Cora Cartmel completed. I turned around, to get the shock of my life, well, a big one anyway. A blonde girl was standing there, she turned and saw me. She was ten, like me, with light blonde long hair that curled at the ends. She wore a lacy white and blue dress, blue at the ends, the rest was white, with white tights and the shiny small heeled shoes. She wore a white ribbon in her hair. She had sky blue eyes. When she saw me she smiled.

"Hi, what's your name?" She said, I was taken by surprise, I thought she'd tell me to go away back to third class.

"Cora, what's yours?" I said shyly, I felt a lil self-conscious in my cloths compared to hers.

"Ella. Do you want to go on the swings with me?" She smiled. I smiled back, I could tell she was been genuine, because her smile touched her eyes.

"Yeah sure." And we both went over to the swings.

Ella is one of the nicest girls I've ever met. She's not snobby at all. She thinks what I think, that the whole third and first class can't mix is stupid. She told me while we swung that her parents came to England on a business meeting, and her mommy not wanting to leave her daddy, came too, so then so did Ella. Her daddy works for some steel company, as someone important, and now they were going back to Philadelphia. I told her that we came to England to see my aunt Millie- I liked Ella a lot, but I didn't wanna tell her about mommy, she wasn't a best friend yet. We've been here for about half an hour. Just then a lady starts walking up to where the swings are.

"Ella, there you are, oh, you made a new friend I see." She smiled at me. She was English. She had brown hair tied up under a pale turquoise hat with pink and lilac feathers on the right side of it. She wore a turquoise dress to, with a whit lace collar and a parasol umbrella which was folded up at the moment. Her smile was genuine too, so her whole family must be willing to accept third class. I smiled back and said hello.

"Cora, that's a lovely name." She said when I told her after she had asked. "I'm glad to see Ella's with someone her own age, she's not really played with anyone since we left England. I'll be just over there if you need me, with daddy." She said the last part to Ella. I looked to wear Ella's mommy's hand had motioned to, looking over the baloney area was a man who had Ella's hair and eyes. He wore a suit and bola hat. He turned and waved to Ella, who waved back, and took his hat off to me, I giggled and smiled back.

"You're parents are really nice, I thought they'd mind me."

"No, there not like most other people here, there rich but respectful." Ella said getting off the swing. "They don't base people on how big their bank account is, as daddy says." I listened as we walked over to the railing, passing Ella's parents as we did, who had linked arms and smiling as they talked, they were in-love for sure. The ship was a bit complicated. Me and Ella were on the very top level, first class also had another level below. The middle was second, and the very bottom, third. Me and Ella looked down at the other first class passengers. Most were sitting on deck chairs, or admiring the view. Hey, that's...

"Jack!" I whispered to myself, I grinned. He was with Rose, talking to her. They were standing near the water.

"Do you know him?" Ella asked politely and pointed to where Jack was.

"Yeah, he's my friend, do you know her, by chance maybe?" I pointed to Rose, Ella might know her, this way I can find more out about her, Rose really interested me.

"Yes, my mommy's friends with her mother, Ruth. We sat with them at dinner last night. She's going to marry Caledon, or cal, mommy says. "

"How did they meet?" That was what I wanted to know. Maybe they knew each other from school...

"I'm not sure, I think it was arranged." Ella said unsurely. Maybe... suddenly the penny dropped. If it's arranged... maybe she doesn't wanna marry him. But her mommy wouldn't make her, would she? No, she wouldn't, I'm sure of it, she's her mommy, my mommy wouldn't make me marry someone I didn't want to. No, it's gotta be something else.

"Ella, can we go down there?" I pointed to the deck that Jack and Rose were on, I have an idea.

"Okay, follow me." She grinned, and we made our way down the steps...

"Well, after that, I worked on a squid boat in Monterrey, then I went down to the pier in Santa Monica and started doing portraits there for ten cents a piece." Jack said to Rose, it was sunset now, me and Ella had been quietly in the background listening. We weren't snooping, it wasn't like we were finding out stuff that we weren't supposed to know, most of the stuff Jack told Rose I knew already, but I just wanted to find out more about her, she interested me, I hope I get to meet her too, and be her friend, like Jack's hers. Me and Ella had talked quietly through some parts, I really like her. We were talking and on the swings for about two hours, and have been down here for one hour.

"Why can't I be like you Jack, just, head out for the horizon whenever I feel like it." Her musical voice rang. I found out a lot about Rose, she defiantly didn't seem to want to marry Cal, if she doesn't, why doesn't she just tell her mommy? She wants to be an actress ,if she had the chance to. Oh, and she loves art. Her and Jack seemed really good friends now, I was happy about that, and Jack still likes me best, he said so. Me and Ella listened to their conversation, I don't think Jack would mind me listening.

"Say we'll go there sometime to that pier, even if we only ever just talk about it." Rose said with a mischievous smile.

"No we'll do it, we'll drink cheap beer, ride on the roller coaster till we throw up..."

Rose let out a laugh, as if she was imagining what it would be like...

"No Jack, I couldn't possibly Jack!" Rose protested for about the tenth time as Jack went to teach her how to spit over the side "like a man." Me and Ella laughed from the other side of the wooden banister. It was a very Jack thing to do. She spat too.

"Uh-Oh" Ella said as she looked to the left, behind Jack's head, I looked to. Four women were walking towards Rose and Jack. The woman in the middle had the exact same hair colour as Rose... she was Roses mommy! Now she'd get to meet Jack. Why did Ella say uh-oh? Jack was in the middle of spitting when Roses mommy came and stood behind them both. She didn't look happy. Rose elbowed Jack to stop, and he turned round and saw them.

"Quick, come on!2 I grabbed Ella's hand and pulled her hand and we ran to the other side so we could see Jack and Roses face instead of their backs. Rose looked... scared, when she was talking to her mommy, why was she scared? Her mom didn't smile or hug her when she saw her, like my mommy would. I know I'm younger, but you would still be happy to see your daughter no matter how old she is. She didn't look like she liked Jack either. Maybe...she's not as nice as I thought. While I was thinking a man with a trumpet started playing it, It made me jump, I was sitting on the banister and nearly fell off in shock, Ella grabbed and steadied me. The trumpets to announce dinner, I think it's pretty pointless. After the trumpet was done I looked over at Jack again, he caught my glance, not registering it was me at first, I waved smiling, so did Ella. He looked surprised and confused. Rose then said something to Jack, and walked away with her mother.

"What in god's name where you doing with that man!? You are engaged Rose, remember that, I will not have our name ruined!" Her mother whispered angrily to her as they both walked past. God, she really wasn't nice. I had so many things I wanted to think about and they were all coming to me at once, I'd have to think about them later, I had to concentrate on Jack now. He was talking to another lady, she was about 45. She seemed the nicest of the group.

"What are you planning to wear?" She asked, Jack told me about how he was invited for dinner in first class tonight, they must be talking about that. Jack motioned to what he already had on, I giggled, cos that would go down well with the others.

"I figured, come on." She linked Jack's arm and started walking in the direction that Rose had. He looked at me then, he smiled confused

Why are you here? He mouthed at me

I'm with Ella, my friend. I mouthed back pointing to her. He smiled, I smiled back.

Il be back tonight, bout nine. He mouthed, I grinned, he'd be at the bar area tonight! It would be my first time there too, I was too tired to go last night. I waved bye, he grinned and waved from behind and then turned round to go inside. I turned round to Ella.

"I have to go now, my mommy's here." She pointed behind her as her mommy started to walk up to where we were.

"Okay, bye Ella." I hugged her

"Come up to the swings again." She smiled

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." I smiled back and then walked in the direction that Jack had to go down the steps, back to third class. So much had happened today. I could hear the clam sea rushing against the ship, and the warm sunset glow onto my face and tint my hair into highlights. I felt calm now, thinking about everything. What really took me by surprise was Roses mommy, she wasn't nice at all. I didn't even know parents could be like that. I've had so much love from my mommy that I didn't think there would be any other way of treating your children. It was only 4:30, I checked on the big clock in the hallway in third class as I looked in. I had plenty of time left, daddy would come and get me when it got dark. I pulled my legs through the railing and sat through them, leaning my head on my arms, looking out into the ocean as the sun slowly by hour melted into it, and thought about everything that had happened...

Ta -da! Hope you liked it. I know this chapter was more description of events than Cora's thought's, but the next chapter is gonna have lots of her thought in it, please red and review, new chapter coming up either on Sunday or Friday. xxx


	11. Reflections

**Authors note: Hey! You didn't get to hear much as Cora's thoughts in the last chapter, so this is her reflecting on the events that have happened today. Please R&R, it's really useful for me to get any feedback. Enjoy! Xxx**

I had a lot to think about. Today so many things had happened and it's only now that I can think properly, everything seemed to happen at once, meeting Ella, finding more stuff out about Rose, especially the fact that she, I don't know for sure, might be forced into getting married.

It's strange how someone can seem to have everything, and yet be deeply unhappy. I mean, Rose, she's the most beautiful person I've ever seen, even prettier than posters of actresses I've seen, or pictures in books. Her family's really rich, so I bet she could get anything she wants, her clothes are practically for royalty. And yet, she's unhappy. I couldn't understand why at first, I remember thinking how happy I'd be if I were her. But now, finding out more things about her, I'm not sure that I'd swap my life. When she was talking to Jack earlier, with me and Ella listening, she said she felt trapped, alone; she wanted to do something, not just sit around and be waited on. She wants to be an actress; I think she'd make a good one. She talked about how her weddings been arranged with her hardly getting a say, not even on her wedding dress. The more she talked about it, it sounds like she doesn't want to get married at all, to Cal, I think his name was, anyway. She said he can be controlling, thinks that a woman should be by a man's side, that sort of thing. He seemed so nice when I saw him in Southampton. I had no idea that he was like that. Now I can understand why she's so unhappy.

Mommy told me that when you're older, and have kids, you'll do anything to love and protect your children. If that's the case, then why doesn't her mommy not let Rose marry him, if she doesn't want to? Has she told her? She must have, you can't keep something that's gonna make you miserable for the rest of your life to yourself. Then why hasn't her mommy done something? She was really angry at Rose when I saw her, and don't get why, she was only with Jack, he's her friend. Maybe Jack knows more about her mom, I'll have to ask him about it, he wants to know just as much about her as I do.

When Rose was with Jack today, she was happy, she really was, the happiest I've seen her. She was laughing and smiling and joking with him. She seemed...free, like she could say her opinion, and then the next minute, when she was with her mom, she looked scared, she wasn't herself. I tell my mommy everything, well, most things anyway, I can't imagine having a mother who you can't be yourself around, who you're scared of. Why even have kids anyway if you're not gonna be nice to them? Maybe, her mommy is nice, really, and she was just having a bad day. I really hope so, but I can't see it, everything else adds up so well that what I first thought has to be the truth. But I can still hope. I used to think that life was simpler, that family's just worked the way they should do. But now, I'm finding out that it's not always like that, that it can be more complicated, well, in first class anyway. I may now know that it is, but I still don't understand it! Why can't Rose just say, no, I'm not marring you, and that be the end of it. Why can't she just marry someone she wants, someone nicer, more like her. And why was her mommy so angry about the fact that she was with Jack. They were just been friends. I'll never get why first and third class can't mix, so yeah, they have money, but that shouldn't matter. I know that not all first class are like that, Ella and her family don't mind the difference in class, I'm seeing her again tomorrow, I really like her, maybe we'll stay friends when we get to America. I looked up from the water and now into the horizon. It was still sunset, the warmth was glowing on my face and hair with a gentle calm breeze. The clouds were pink, like candyfloss. Where I'm from, everybody looks out for each other, no one thinks that they're above or below anyone else there. But in Roses world, it seems that they measure how valuable you are as a person to how big your wallet is.

Rose isn't weak, she's strong minded, I can tell. I think cos of that fact, somehow, she will get out of her marriage, she will, and then she can come with me and daddy, cos we wouldn't mind her been with us, or with Jack, they really get on so they're bound to stay friends, and then hopefully, we'll all meet up in Santa Monica. I'm not deluding myself, it could happen, she could just get some money and then run away. Maybe that's what she's planning to do, leave at the last minute, that's what I'd do, and then she can lead the life she wants, though I bet she'd miss the constant hot running water she must get. I look around the deck, no one else is here, dinner must be soon then. I wonder if Jack's at first class dinner by now, hopefully he got something more posh to wear, I don't think they'd let him in or else! It must be a really nice restaurant part where he is, and the food would be great too. He'll tell me all about it later tonight. Tonight! I forgot we're going to the bar area tonight! That'll be exciting, I bet Rose would love it there. The sun's nearly set into the sea now, Daddy will come find me soon. Before he does I close my eyes.

_Dear God, _

_I pray that Rose will be happy, whatever it means for her to be happy I pray it happens, and that I get to meet her to. I pray that she won't have to do anything she doesn't want to, and that her life will be really good. Amen. _

There, whenever I'm upset or worried I pray, and it always seems to work. I hope it can for Rose to.

"Cora, dinners now." I look over and see daddy near the entrance.

"Okay!" I call and run to where he is, I don't know why, but I feel happier now, about Rose and everything else, I just have a feeling that everything will turn out happily...


	12. An Irish party

"Come on, I'll spin ya even faster now!" Tommy says over to Irish music as he begins to spin me around. I'm getting so dizzy! But it's so fun I don't want it to stop. I can only see blurs of the bar now, and the smell or beer and cigarettes that's here in the bar, I'm used to them smells, so it doesn't bother me, it gives the room atmosphere. We finally stop spinning and I laugh so hard, the room looks as if it's swaying right to left.

"Careful, don't fall into the table!" daddy jokes and holds my arm until the room stops spinning. I can see clearly now, all the people, the tables, the band. I look over at the clock on the wall, its 9:00 now, so that means... we've been here half an hour, but it only feels like 2 minuets. Dinner went quickly, and afterwards we came here.

Lots of people are here, I think the whole of our ticket class is here. And it's a mix of people too, grown-ups, kids, men, women, one person even brought their baby here. Tables and chairs are spaced out around the edges of the room, with the bar in the far left, near the back. The middle of the room's left clear, so that people can dance, and there are two platforms, one on the left side, and one on the right.

"I'm okay now, the rooms stopped spinning!" I joke, daddy laughs and let's go of my arm. The end of one piece of music finishes and another starts, I love the music here! It's great to dance to! Mommy loves Irish music too, that's how I got into it. It's great to dance to. I danced with daddy first, like he promised, then we saw Fabrizio, and then I danced with him, and then I danced with Tommy, and he spun me around! Fabrizio's the blonde women I saw in the seating area today, I think her name's Helga, she smiled at me when she saw me , I think she's quite shy, but that's probably cos she can't speak much English. Fabrizio's been dancing with her since we got here, and he was here before us. I think he loves her, and she loves him too. There sitting down at our table now, talking. It's funny how they can communicate even though she doesn't speak much English, and he doesn't speak Norwegian, but they've found a way.

"I think I need a drink after that, spinning you around missy!" Tommy jokes to me, I laugh as we go to our table, daddy's already over there now. Fabrizio and Helga are still talking, after saying hello to daddy for a second, then carry on, like it's just them two in the room, I giggle at that and sit down. Tonight is great, but it feels like something's missing. I know what's missing, Jack. The first class dinner should be over by now, why's he not here? I hope he comes soon...

"Another drink everyo-hahaha! Look at this!" Tommy laughs, he's looking towards the stairs leading down to here, I can't see anything, why's he... Jack, Jacks here now!! And... No way! ! He's with her, Rose is here! Everyone looks very surprised, especially Tommy! Jack's leading her by the hand, he can't see is yet. Rose looks really beautiful, in her burgundy dress with glittering jewels, or sequins or something at the bottom. Everyone else in the bar's looking at her too, shocked that a first class girl's here, and the chatter get's quieter. A few seconds later they go back to what they were doing before, and the talking gets back to normal again. Rose looks a lil nervous to be here, but mostly happy, very happy. She says something to Jack, and he says something back, though I can't make out what they said. I can't believe she's here! I mean, why would she wanna come down here when I bet it's much nicer for her on her deck. She must be really good friends with Jack now then. Maybe she wanted to see what it was like here. Jack see's us now and leads Rose to our table.

"Well I never." Tommy says as Jack get's closer. Jack catches my eye and smiles at me, I smile back, I bet he's got lots to tell me about the dinner.

Finally Jack and Rose get to our table, everyone greets Jack and say hello to Rose when Jack introduces her, she says hello back, she seemed a bit shy, I would be if I had to go into a room and meet new people who I'd never seen before. Then I realize, she probably doesn't know if she'll get accepted. Her class are like that, they wouldn't accept one of us, and maybe she thinks we won't like her, cos she's first class.

"Don't look so worried love, we don't bite!" Tommy said to Rose, she smiled and laughed at that, looking more relaxed now. Fabrizio got up and started talking to Rose, Helga he introduced Helga to. Daddy and Tommy were talking. While this was happening I got off my seat and ran around the other side to Jack.

"Jack!" I hugged him around his waist, he didn't see me coming so it surprised him.

"Hey, looks like someone missed me." He laughed and got down to my level, so he could talk to me, I laughed too.

"Why's Rose here?" I said quieter, I looked up at her but she was still talking to Fabrizio.

"I wanted to show her what a real party's like, it's pretty boring up there, everyone's pretty stuck up, part from Rose and Molly- the lady who lent me the tux. Her mother about grilled me." He motioned to Rose, I giggled, poor Jack!

"You wanna say hi to rose?" I nodded he smiled and played with a curl of my hair, then got back up and spoke to Rose.

"Rose, this is Cora." Jack introduced me, I'm not normally shy, but I suddenly did feel shy, I always seem to when I'm around her. I guess it's cos I want her to like me.

"Hello Cora, Jack was telling me about you on the way here. " She smiled at me, I smiled wide and looked at Jack, who was smiling too, now I didn't know what to say, what should I say, erm.....

"I like you're hair." I said to Rose, she smiled and laughed.

"Thank you, I like you're hair too, it's really pretty." She took a few strands of it and played with them, I giggled, people love to do that to my hair. She smiled, I think we're becoming friends.

"Right, who's up for a drink, Jesus I need one!" Tommy said, everyone laughed and Tommy went to get drinks.

"I'm gonna go help Tommy, you look after Rose." Jack said to me, half joking and he followed Tommy. Me and Rose watched Jack go, and then she turned back to me and smiled.

"Come over here." I took her hand and took her to a chair, out of nowhere my shyness was gone now. She laughed slightly and then we both sat down.

"Jack told me you both saw dolphins today." Her musical voice rang, I liked the way it sounded. I nodded

"We saw six of them, at the front of the ship, on the bow bit, they were all jumping." She smiled as I talked. "Do you like dolphins?"

She laughed. "I do, I saw some on another ship, though not for very long, someone made me come inside the minute I saw them." There was a hint of sadness in her voice, I don't think it was cos she didn't get to see them for very long, though that must have made her sad to, but about the person that made her go inside, I bet it was her fiancée that she doesn't like. It's almost funny when you think of it like that. I wouldn't like him if he told me what to do all the time.

"I wish I had my hair down now, like yours ." She changed to subject, playing with my hair again.

"I want it to be really long, like yours, I wish it was your colour." She laughed

"Your colour is very nice Cora, you don't need to change anything, and you shouldn't change yourself for anyone." She smiled, I smiled too.

"You came to see Jack today." She nodded

"Yes, we met before, and he did something for me, so I wanted to say thank you." Rose replied, I wouldn't let on that I knew about how he saved her, she doesn't want me to know yet.

"Are you and Jack best friends?" I asked, she laughed at that.

"Well, I only have just met him..." She looked up, he was walking back with the drinks now. I watched her stare, she had a look in her eyes, I can't explain it, like she suddenly realized something, and now it was clear to her. She still couldn't take her eyes off him.

"Yes... I think, you could say that..." She then got herself out of her trance and turned back to me. We talked for a few more seconds and then we both turned to Jack when he came back and put the drinks on the table, Tommy had the other half of them. Jack talked to Rose for a few seconds and then turned to me.

"Come on, let's show Rose how to dance." He took my hand and we went to the middle of the room...

The music stopped and everyone clapped and cheered afterwards for the band. It was really fun dancing with jack, Rose clapped along and watched us to. While we were dancing I asked Jack what the dinner was like, and what did he now know about Rose, I wanted to know so I could be sure if I was right about her fiancée or not. He told me he'd tell me tomorrow, but I can't tell anyone. I'd never tell anyone else's secrets. Jack smiled and then got down to my level to say something to me above the music.

"I'm gonna dance with her now alright?" He looked at Rose then back to me, I nodded and smiled at Rose and went back to our table.

"Come on." He said to her.

"What?" Rose looked confused, I don't think she's ever done this kind of dancing before.

"Come with me." Jack takes her hand and leads her to the middle of the room.

"Wha, Jack, Jack wait!" But he takes no notice and carries on leading her.

"I can't do this." She say's to him.

"We're gonna have to get a lil bit closer, like this." He out his hand round her waist and pulls her in. Suddenly, I don't want him to dance with her. I don't know why, I mean, I like Rose, she's my friend now, but I want Jack to like me best. It's as if he's heard my thoughts cos he turns round to me.

"You're still my best girl Cora!" He says to me, I smile, I'm secretly pleased with myself. Then Jack and Rose begin to dance, I got and sit with daddy and we both watch them, Tommy laughs as he watches them. She looks so happy, and so does Jack. Then Jack lead her onto one of the platform things, they dance up there, Rose copying what Jack's doing, then he spins her around, like Tommy spun me around earlier, you cross hands then hold the other person's, and then spin as fast as you can. They look really happy, especially Rose, I bet she's never let her hair down like this before, she looks.. free. And it's then I realize something, daddy's talking to me but I'm not listening, I don't mean to be rude, I'm just too busy in my own thoughts. It seems obvious now, why didn't I get it before? Tommy's come back to our table and is arm wrestling with a Swedish guy, Jack and Rose are coming back now, I'll have to put this thought out of my mind for now, I'll think about it later...

**Authors note: Hey, I hope you liked this, not such a good chapter ending I know, but it will carry on and you'll find out what Cora's realized. I'll update soon, either tomorrow, Wednesday or Friday, but I do update weekly, I just can't guarantee that day, but keep reading please, in a few chapters it will get really exciting! Please R and R! xxx**


	13. Come Josephine

"So, you think you're big tough men?" Rose says to Tommy and the other guys around our table, I think she's a bit tipsy from the alcohol! Her and Jack have just come back from dancing. She took one blow of her cigarette and then asked Jack to hold up the bottom of her dress a bit, what's she gonna do? I smile as I watch Rose, with Jack looking confused, his expression makes me almost laugh. She begins to go up on her feet, like ballet dancers do, and- wait, no way, she can't really do-wow! She's standing on her toes! Only ballet dancers do that when they have special shoes on, and the wooden blocks stop their feet from hurting, how is she doing that!! Tommy and everyone else is staring at her open mouthed, Jack looks completely amazed, she is amazing! I wish I could do that, she's gotta have special powers to so that.

I gasp slightly as she stumbles over after not been able to stay on her toes any longer; it looked like it really hurt! Luckily Jack catches her in his arms, they're both laughing now.

"You alright?" Jack asks her, Rose is still laughing.

"I haven't done that in years!" She manages to reply in between breathes. She still stays in Jacks arms, laughing and looking at him, he's smiling down at her, it's like they've forgotten that other people are here, and it's just them in the room. Just then I shiver, god it's cold! It wasn't a minute ago, ah; someone must have just come in and left the door open. If they've forgotten to close it, I'll go and shut it for them, Jack and Rose are still laughing and smiling and staring. I turn around and look to the stairway. No one's there... just then I see a pair of black trousers come down the stairs, and then I see someone properly.

You know when someone just by entering a room can make you shiver, have that sick feeling? Well, this guy did exactly that. He had a suit on, with sandy coloured hair, and a fierce expression, he looked around the room, and then fixed his dark eyes on something. I turned to see what it was-it was Rose, he was looking at Rose and Jack. Why-Oh god. I turned back round to him, he must know Rose, she's not supposed to be here! He must have come to take her back! Suddenly he sees me looking at him, and he fixes his eyes in a deadly stare before I can look away. If looks could kill, I'd be on the floor. I feel sick, my palms are sweating, oh god, what's gonna happen. After about ten seconds of death staring he turns away, takes one look at Rose, as if in disgust, and goes back up the stairs, staring at her until he reaches the top.

I let out a sigh of relief; suddenly the room seems brighter to me, now the dark clouds moved away. I turn to Jack and Rose, what should I do, should I tell her? If I did, then maybe she can go back now, and her mommy won't be so angry...no, it's not gonna work like that, her mom seems mean. At least they know she's safe here. No, she might as well have a good time now, maybe by morning her family won't be so mad at her, people say that things always seem better in the morning. ..

The rooms spinning again, I've been dancing with Rose and Jack for ages now and now I've stopped the rooms sliding around again. I can hear Rose laughing and Jack holding onto my arm so I don't tip over, he's laughing too. Eventually the rooms back to normal. The clock says its 11 now, way past the time I go to bed normally! I feel sleepy now, I wish I didn't, I wish I could dance all night! My eyes start dropping, even though I beg them to stay open.

"Looks like someone's tired now." Tommy says. Whoa! I'm not on the ground anymore, I got sweeped up into the air and I'm in someone's arms, I think its Jacks.

"We can take her back now while you and Tommy stay here, I've gotta take Rose back anyway." Jack says to my daddy.

"If you don't mind, she's tired off her feet bless her, here." My eyes are closed, so I can only hear the music and what people are saying. Daddy hands something to Jack, it jingles, oh, it must be our room key. Just then I feel a soft hand brush my cheek and smooth my hair.

"Oh Cora, you're so tired." Rose whispers as she plays with my hair.

"Thanks, I'll take care of her, see you later, keep havin a good night." Jack say's to Tommy and daddy, I know that he's walking with me then, but soon the music fades out and I drift off...

"Come Josephine in my flying machine going up, she goes, up she goes." I hear Jack and Rose sing, we must be out on deck. I can feel the night breeze on my face and hear the sea waves breaking. My eyes are still closed; I drift in and out of sleep...

"You know, there's been a mistake, you got mailed to the wrong address." Jack jokes with Rose when I wake up again; we're still on the deck. Rose laughs at Jack's comment, it takes me a while to get what he meant, cos I've just woke up again. If I wasn't sleepy I would have laughed, like rose is doing now. It's true, she did get mailed to the wrong address, she should have been born into third class, where she could dance and drink and be herself and people would love her for it, instead of having to act all ladylike, with so many rules.

"I did didn't I." Rose replies.

"Look a shooting star!" Rose exclaims. I've seen a shooting star before, when I was ill once, I couldn't sleep, mommy stayed p with me and we saw a shooting star from the window. She told me to wish, I wished I'd get better. The next day I was outside playing again, feeling fine, I think the star helped me.

"You know my pops used to say, that every time you saw one, it was a soul going to heaven." Jack told Rose. I'm glad now that they think I'm asleep, and that I have my eyes closed, so they can't see the tears that are close to spilling over my eyes. That's one of the most moving things I ever heard.

"I like that... are we supposed to wish on it?" Rose asks.

"What'd you wish for?" There's care in Jacks voice, I smile to myself. Rose doesn't reply straight away, for a moment I wonder if I've gone back to sleep. Then finally...

"Something I can't have..." She says in just over a whisper. More tears come to my eyes at that, and I can't stop a few from spilling silently onto my cheeks.

"Goodnight Jack..." I can hear her heels click as she walks away, and then a door open and close. I feel so sad, Jack must be heartbroken! I hope he's okay. He doesn't move for a few seconds, just stands there with me in his arms.

"C'mon Cora, let's go." He whispers and carries me back down the deck and into our entrance, why can't she be with him! She should just tell her mommy that she doesn't want to marry her fiancée and then she can be with Jack, and...then maybe she can...marry him. This might sound strange but I'm a lil bit sad, cos I wanted to marry Jack when I'm older... but he's still my best friend, cos I'm his best girl, but he loves Rose, and she loves him, that's what I realized, there's no doubt, and I like Rose, she's my friend too, so I don't mind. I don't understand! God, why are grown-ups so complicated! She can be with him, she can! He loves her and she loves him, so what's the problem? Money shouldn't matter.

Jack opens the door and then carries me into our room. He puts me on my bed and then takes off my shoes, puts them on the floor and covers the blanket over me. I want to say something to him before he goes. I open my eyes, the bright light hits them but eventually they adjust. I see jack tucking a corner of the blanket in, he looks so broken hearted! I hate seeing him like this, if only I could make it better, I wish I could, no, I wish Rose would run in here right now and hug Jack and tell him that she doesn't care if her mom likes it or not, she's gonna be with him. I shut my eyes quickly ad wish for that to happen, I wish and pray. I open my eyes again, no; it's not worked this time. Jack still looks unhappy as he folds the blanket over.

"Jack..." I say in a tired voice.

"Hmm, Cora?" He looks at me as if he feels guilty for been miserable around me, and still sad about Rose.

"Why did Rose say something I can't have, why can't she be with you?" Jack looked surprised, a bit taken aback by the fact that I'd been awake, and also that I'd figured out the meaning behind her sentence.

"I don't know Cora, just how things are." He whispered the last part, he's tearing up inside I can tell. If only I could make it better.

"Night Cora, sweet dreams." He kissed the top of my hair and turned out the light, he paused at the door, smiling what he could manage, and then went. The room turning a midnight blue colour now.

Tonight had started out so happy, why did it have to end like this? This world doesn't make sense any more, I used to think that love is all that matters, well, it does in third class, I didn't realize that the upper class has all these rules that you have to follow, who you can be friends with, who you can marry. Why does it matter, we're all people, a whole world, and somehow we've got split up into sections. I wish it wasn't like this; there's gotta be a better way, a way that makes more sense!

All my thinking and stress is making me more tired. Maybe, maybe Jack and Rose can find a way, can be together. She loves him, so surely she's bound to come round, he'll make her see that she doesn't have to marry someone she doesn't want to., that, that she can be with him. They both love each other... and for them, that could be all they need. And if her mom doesn't like Jack, they can run away! Stay with me and daddy and mommy. My eyes are getting heavier, I know I'm gonna drift off soon, so I'll say this quickly.

_Dear God, _

_Please, please, please let Jack and Rose be together, make her see that she can be with Jack. Please, they need to be together, please find a way for them. _

_Amen. _

I hope it works, I hope god can hear me, and will find a way for them to be together, to help them both. They will be together now, they have to be. Slowly the room becomes darker, and I drift off to sleep...


	14. Pulling heartstrings

"And then she just went?" I asked Jack the following morning.

"Yeah, she just went." Jack replied sadly. We were walking out on deck now, when me and daddy had finished breakfast and were walking back to our room we saw Jack coming down the corridor, he wasn't at breakfast so I wondered where he'd been. He talked to me and daddy and now daddy's in the seating area with Tommy while me and Jack are out here on deck, because he promised to tell me everything that had happened so far. He told me about Rose, I was right, she really doesn't wanna get married to_ him, _cal or whatever his stupid name is. He told me other stuff about her, the things she said, like how if she could, she'd be an actress. He hadn't told me about the first class diner yet, cos we were busy talking about rose now, but we'd get to that part later.

"I don't understand! Why can't she just be with you." I moaned as we walked, jack managed a weak smile at me.

"I dunno, way of the world I guess, things are different where she's from, most of them lot judge a person on how much they've got in their pocket." I sighed, it was true, most of them were all money obsessed.

"She obviously likes you." I said matter of factly.

"Oh yeah, how can you be so sure?" Jack laughed and smiled at me. I was right, she did like him, so I was a tiny bit annoyed that he didn't believe me, but at least I cheered him up.

"Because, you're handsome and smart and you can draw and you're kind..." He laughed as I drew up this big list of reasons which were all very true. " And she said so."

Jack looked a lil confused "When did she say that?"

"Y'know, when she said "something I can't have." She wants you!" I said the last part with emphasis, which made Jack laugh.

"You pick up on lotta things for your age." It was my turn to smile.

"Mom says I'm mature for my age." He laughed again at that. It was nice to hear Jack laugh, he'd been so upset ever since last night, and I was glad that I was the person cheering him up. He only smiled when he saw me and daddy in the corridor, before he saw us he looked really depressed, and annoyed about something, which reminded me....

" Oh yeah, where were you this morning, you weren't at breakfast, and why were you walking down the corridor, we already passed your room on the way, where were you coming from?" I suddenly realized I asked a lot of questions at once, when that dawned on me I got a bit embarrassed, which Jack could probably tell because he laughed again.

"I ask a lot of questions don't I?" I said.

"No no, questions are good." He smiled down at me. "Alright I'll tell you why.....

"And then he kicked me out, with two doormen grabbing each of my arms until the third class entrance." Jack finished telling me what had happened. I was shocked, they'd treated him so un-fairly, he only wanted to talk to Rose and he got kicked out for it! I don't believe that the doorman wouldn't recognize Jack from the night before, he wouldn't look completely different in a tux to normal clothes. And then the scary sandy haired body guard of cal-Jack told me, had tried to pay him off so he wouldn't see rose anymore! Doesn't he get it, Jack's not interested in the money!

"I can't believe they kicked you out..." I really couldn't, I mean, all he wanted to do was talk to rose, just talk to her, I mean, that's hardly a crime.

"Neither can I, I knew that most of them would disapprove of me but I didn't think they'd go that far." Jack said with misery and a bit of bitterness, though I couldn't blame him.

"You should have just...punched that body guard and got rose and then ran with her all the way down to here so you could talk to her, and then she'd admit that she does love you, and then we'd hide her somewhere, in my room, or yours, and then she'd never have to go back there again and she could be with you forever!" I said in one big rush theatrically, Jack laughing. I was messing around of course, I knew now that it wasn't all that easy, but I still think that Jack should have punched that guy...

"Yeah, I really should have done that shouldn't I? Why is it always you Cora with all the good ideas?" Jack joked back

"I dunno, because I'm just amazing ." I joked, turning around twirling.

"You really are." He said smiling, I smiled at that too. "Yeah...I wish it was all that easy." Jack had stopped laughing now and was starting to look miserable again. No, he can't be upset, we'll find a way, they will end up together, they have to...

"So what was the dinner like, were they all in posh dresses and suits and saying things like "Oh pass me the caviar..." I put on a posh voice, which made Jack laugh and be happy again, well as much as he could be, sensing that I wanted to cheer him up.

"Pretty much, Roses' mom gave me a grilling, asking about where I lived and about down here in steerage, making me out to be some sort of lowlife."

"What did she say?"

Jack smiled remembering "Well at one point she said, "Tell us about the accommodation in steerage, I hear there quite good on this ship." She said it politely enough but there was an underline tone to it, I just replied, politely back though, I wasn't gonna be rude, after all she hadn't done anything to me, and well, she's roses' mom, I said "The best I've seen m'am, hardly any rats."

We both laughed after he told me that. He told me how everyone else apart from Cal and Roses' mother seemed to like him, they hadn't been rude to him like Roses' mom had-who name was Ruth jack said, anyway. He told me about how he told them what he lived for, how to make each day count.

"I don't know if anybody'l listen to that but it felt good to tell them, maybe it'll change the way they think about life, a little bit a least." Jack told me.

He told me about the dinner area, and the stair case. He said that the stair case is really big, with polished wooden banisters and beams, and the dinner area was huge, and everyone was dressed up. Lucky he did get given that tux then, otherwise I really don't think they'd let him in! Me and Jack joked and talked while leaning on the railing on the back of the ship. We joked for a while, both of us putting on posh voices pretending to be first class, until we were laughing so much that we had to stop. But after we'd finished joking, we talked more about Rose.

"You can tell me how you feel about her, I don't mind." It was true, I wanted him to tell me how he felt, okay, so I was a lil jealous at first, but I'm not anymore, I'm still his best friend, and he loves rose, why won't he talk to me about it?"

" Nah, it wouldn't be fair, unloading all that on you." He replied and stared back into the ocean, what does he even mean by that? Unloading what? I want to hear this!"

"You won't be "Unloading" anything, tell me! I'm a good listener, and that's what friends do, listen to each other's problems, please Jack?...." He laughed a bit when I'd finished

"You're not gonna give up are you?"

I shook my head, he laughed and smiled at that. He turned back to the ocean, I did the same, leaning on the railing sting down, like he was, and he began to talk.

"I never expected it, to fall for someone now, especially someone like her." He meant of high class I think. I closed my eyes while he told me, feeling the breeze and sunlight shine on my face .

"I was happy travelling around with Fabrizio, selling my art, or just drawing for fun, but now...I can't really imagine how I was happy before compared to the way I feel when I'm with her. " I opened my eyes then and turned to look at Jack, he was still staring at the water, as if he wasn't looking at the blue ocean, but looking at her instead.

"I've never felt that way about anyone before, she completes me, it's like, there was a piece of me missing and I never even realized until she found it, like when you get a paper cut and it only hurts when you realize you've got it. She's so unique and spirited, she deserves to be free to do what she likes and not be controlled like the way she's been. She's got fire, and them lot are gonna slowly burn it out if I don't stop them somehow. And when she's upset, like she was about cal, all I wanted to do was wrap my arms around her and tell her it'll be okay, I'll make it okay and take her somewhere safe. I know I've only known her a few days but this is real, I love her so much, I know I do. I wanna do that now and just tell her I love her cos...I do, I love her."

By the time he'd finished I had a lump in my throat, and I was trying to stop the tears in my eyes from welling over. I knew he loved her, but I had no idea it was that much! God, he'd die for rose if he had to, I was sure of it. He looked up at me, and from his expression, I wasn't doing a good job of hiding my tears.

"Aw Cora, I'm sorry." He said pulling me into a hug, I let a few tears escape and then wiped the rest away. Why was I crying? I guess I'd just never heard anything that moving before. Jack broke away and put both hands on my shoulders , looking me in the eye

"Hey, I'm the one that's meant to be upset, if you are too then who's gonna cheer me up hmm?" I giggled and jack smiled at making me laugh

"I'm not upset, their good tears." Jack laughed

"Well bad tears or good tears let's wipe them away, don't try and steel my limelight." I laughed and he gave me a clean handkerchief to dry my eyes on.

"Better now?" He asked

"Mmmhmm." I nodded, I was fine now, god, I must learn not to cry in front of people, it makes them worried.

"Good, come on now, let's go find Tommy and your dad." He held out his hand and I took it, and we began to walk across the deck, suddenly his walking slowed down. I looked up at him, he was looking at the railing that lead to first class. He looked like he was thinking hard about something. The railing was the same one I...I climbed over...was he gonna do that, was he gonna sneak in? A few seconds later he turned to me.

"Cora, you go back and find your dad and Tommy and Fabrizio, I just need to do something okay?" I nodded and said okay and then watched what he was going to do next. Was he gonna climb over? I really hope he does, then he can find Rose and tell her that he loves her! Jack looked over his shoulder once, nobody was looking, and they wouldn't care if he did sneak in anyway. Yes! He's sneaking in! He climbed onto the whit rails, pausing to see if any guards were patrolling in first class, that's the last thing he needed, to get caught by them. Daddy doesn't mind if I'm not back till six today... and I did say I'd see Ella again....

Quickly, in my spy mission mode, I climb up and over the railing, on the right side instead of the left this time, so I'd have to walk to the left to get to the swings. When I swung myself over I smiled to myself, mission completed. Out the corner of my eye I could see Jack, I turned to him, he looked confused.

"What are you doing up here?"

"You're going to find Rose, so I'm going to find my friend, Ella, the girl who I was with yesterday up here." Then Jack remembered, he smiled at me, that I figured out why he's here.

"Alright, I'll see you later." He said, I hugged him before he went, then I watched him leave. He picked up a man's coat and hat when he wasn't looking, so that he would look first class, and wouldn't be discovered. I giggled at that. It wasn't stealing, I knew he'd give it back when he was done. I sighed as he turned the corner and left, I really hoped he'd find Rose, they both needed him to tell her how he felt. I really hope she tells him that she loves him too, just as much as he loves her. I know she does, from the way she looked at him in the bar last night, and everything else that's happened, I just hope that she admits it, and isn't scared of what her mom will say or think. They are perfect for each other, there exactly what the other was looking for, and now they've found each other, they can't part, they deserve to be together. I pray that everything works out, that this time tomorrow, they'll be together for definite. I look out at the sea and clear blue sky as I pray for this, that they'll be happy, and be with each other. I sigh, there's nothing more I can do now, I just hope everything works out, and it will, it has to, they will be together. I smile as I think this and then walk to the swings to find Ella....


	15. Chance at love

"Come on let's swing faster, I can go higher than you, see." Ella called to me from the swing she was on.

"No you can't."

"Yes I can!"

"No you can't!" I replied and me and Ella carried on like this until we were laughing so much that we nearly fell off the swings! I was having so much fun here that for the last half an hour I'd forgotten about Jack and rose almost completely. Ella looked really pretty today; she had a white dress on which blew in the wind as she swung, with light blue shoes and a blue beaded bracelet on with a silver heart charm. I looked no way near as beautiful in my clothes but that didn't matter with me and Ella, we just had fun together and were friends, and to us, that's all that matters.

"Your bracelet's nice." I said to Ella as the swings gradually slowed down. She looked down at her bracelet and smiled, raising one arm to it while her bracelet arm was holding onto the swing chain.

"Oh yeah, thank you, I got it when we went to Paris a year ago, the shop we brought it from was really nice, they had all sorts of beads and crystals and colours, brooches, necklaces, bracelets, they had everything." Ella replied, "I really liked Paris, I wish we didn't leave." She said with a hint of sadness but she still kept the mood cheery.

Ella's life seemed perfect, we'd talked about each other for the past half hour, I'd told her about where I live, and holidays I've been on, and I also told her about my mommy, I know I can trust Ella, she's one of my best friends now. She told me all about herself to, about the big house she has in America, and about places like Paris, and about her mommy.

She said she gets on well with her mommy, even though she has other servants and maids to look after her, her mommy see's her and talks to her a lot. I like that, that Ella has a nice happy family even though their first class, and in a way, been a close family goes against the rules in her class. I wish Roses' family was just like Ella's, so that her mom would be nice to her, and she wouldn't be told what to do all the time, she could say how she really felt without been scared about what her mom or fiancée will think. That way she could be happy, and she'd be allowed to be with Jack.

"Your life sounds perfect, you get to live in a big house and wear nice things and have servants, and you have a nice family who love you, which is better than servants and houses, but you get that on top of having a nice family." I said as I swung my legs to make the swing speed up again, Ella didn't swing though.

"I guess, I've never really thought about it that much, I know I'm very fortunate, but it's just always been there, I don't know any different to the life I'm in now." Ella replied staring into the air like she was deep in thought. I guess I'd be like that, if I had been born rich then I would grow up in that lifestyle, so I wouldn't think any different, and I'd take it for granted I guess. I wonder if Rose takes been rich for granted... maybe a bit, but she doesn't get the good side of it, she can't enjoy having nice things and going to amazing places because all her nice things get picked out for her, and she never has any freedom to go where she wants.

"Here, you should have this." Ella snapped me out of my trance and I saw that her hand was outstretched with the blue beaded bracelet in it.

"No, that's yours, I can't take that, where would I wear it? Besides it's really expensive." It looked expensive, the heart charm was pure silver and the beads were pure glass and marble with swirly patterns in each bead. I'd love to have it, I almost wished I'd have said "Okay, thank you" and took it, but it belonged to Ella, it must have cost loads, I can't just take something like that.

Ella shrugged "I have three more anyway, and I want you to have this, you don't have to go anywhere posh to wear it, I'm wearing it out here on deck. Please Cora take it, please?" Ella said, hoping I'd take it. She must really want me to have it, and I really want it, and we are best friends... so...

"Thank you Ella!" I said taking the bracelet and leaping off the swing to hug her, I went to hug her a bit to forcefully and nearly knocked us both off the swing! We laughed and then got up to walk on the deck; we'd done enough swinging for now. I love my new bracelet so much! I'd never had anything this nice or expensive before. I held out my arm and watched the beads glisten in the sunlight.

"It suits you." Ella complimented as we walked, I smiled at her and then looked down at it again, before putting my arm back down.

"What do you want to do now?" Ella asked, god, she was so nice! Already she'd given me a beautiful bracelet, which hopefully her mom wouldn't be mad at her for, and now she asked me what I want to do, putting me first. She really was generous.

"I think you should decide." I replied. Besides, Ella knew more about the upper class deck than I did, she might know somewhere good to go.

"Okay, erm... oh I know! I have to show you the gym room; they've got really fun stuff in there." She grabbed my hand and we ran down the stairs, with some disapproving looks to the lower first class deck towards the gym room...

"And this is the rowing machine, that's good, oh and they've got electric camels and horses, I don't see how it's exercise but it's fun to go on." Ella told me as she showed me the machines in the gym room. I'd seen rowing machines before but never electric camels or horses. I wanted to go on one though, maybe it's like riding a real horse, I wouldn't know what a camel ride feels like!

"How does it work?" I asked going up to the horse.

"Like this, watch." Ella got on the horse and clicked the on switch so it started moving, I laughed when it started, It moved, but not like a real horse, Ella laughed too and then jumped off while it was still moving.

"Come on, I'll help you up if you want a go." Ella offered, I giggled and with her help go onto the horse, it felt strange, not really like a horse but it was fun to ride. Me and Ella laughed and then I turned off the switch a few miniuets later and got down. As I walked across I looked over at the sign on the door.

"NO CHILDREN OR ANIMALS ALLOWED IN HERE." The sign read, oops.

"Er, were not supposed to be in here are we." I said to Ella, I felt a lil un easy, I didn't wanna get caught in here, I'd get into trouble for been in here, and from sneaking up into first class, and Ella would get into trouble too.

"Not strictly, but not many people come in here anyway, not at this time." I looked over at the big clock on the wall, it was twelve, most people would be having lunch or on deck relaxing now. I relaxed then, no-one would catch us...

Me and Ella stayed in the gym for ten more miniuets, we'd gone on the rowing machines, and played and laughed, it was really fun. Just then we both saw movement outside the gym window. We both froze, oh no, someone's gonna come on!

"Quick, hide behind here!" Ella whispered and we both ran and hide behind a big wooden piece of gym equipment that was big enough to hide both of us. I ran behind it and hide just in time before the door opened.

"Jack, this is impossible, I can't see you."

"I need to talk to you." Jack replied to Rose. Oh-my-god, they were here! Rose and Jack were talking, here!! I glanced at Ella, our eyes lit up, I'd told her about Jack and Rose and now she wants' them to be together too. This is it, we're gonna get to hear Jack tell Rose he loves her, and then she can tell him, and they can be together! At least I hope that's what happens, oh please let that happen, they have to be together, they have to...

"No Jack, no, Jack, I'm engaged, I'm marring Cal... I love Cal." Rose tried to convince Jack but the tone of her voice miserably failed her. She couldn't fool Jack; I peeked out from behind the big wooden box to see what was happening. By the look on Jack's face he wasn't being fooled by Rose, he knew her inside out. Then he began to talk...

"Rose, you're no picnic, alright, you're a spoilt lil brat even, but, under that, you're the most amazingly, astounding, wonderful girl-women that I've ever known, and-"

All the things Jack said made me glow inside for Rose, what he said he truly meant, it was better than just an "I love you." But even though he was telling her all this, she still looked really worried, like she couldn't admit she felt the same, just _admit it Rose, please!_ I think, maybe she'll pick up my thoughts, I hope she does...

"Jack I..." She interrupted Jack. Oh no, she's still in denial, why is she?

"No, let me try and get this out, you're ama-" He was going to say amazing but them stopped, he wanted to say how much he felt for Rose, but there aren't any words to really explain it, he loves her so much. God, if I were her I'd be overjoyed, why can't she be?

"Look, I'm not an idiot, I know how the world works, I've got ten bucks in my pocket, I've nothing to offer you and I know that. I understand-but I'm too involved now, you jump I jump remember? I can't turn away without knowing you'll be alright...that's all that I want." Jack finished. Rose was beginning to have tears in her eyes.

"Well I'm fine; I'll be fine, really." Rose tried to reassure Jack but failed again, it was oblivious that she wasn't.

"Really? I don't think so." Jack said softly to Rose.

"They've got you trapped Rose, and you're gonna die if you don't break free, maybe not right away because your strong but-"He gently put one hand on her cheek and caressed it.

"Sooner or later that fire that I love about you Rose, that fires gonna burn out." Jack finished. Everything he said was true, he was trying to save Rose, he loved her with all his heart, and from the look in her eyes, she knew it, and she loved him too, I can see how desperately she wants to tell him, but there's something stopping her. Why won't she just tell him, come on Rose, tell him!

"I'm going back, leave me alone." She said and with that she dropped Jacks hand and turned and went out of the door, leaving Jack standing there watching her leave. He looked like he was about to stop her but then he let her go. He just stood there for about half a minute and I saw the tears escape from his eyes. Then he went out the door, leaving the room silent....

"That was so unexpected." Ella breathed quietly as she got out from behind the box. "Cora?" She asked. I sighed and stayed behind the box for a few more seconds, drying my eyes from the silent tears that had escaped. How could this happen, I was so sure that they would be together. Why didn't she tell him? Why not, she could just go with him and never have to see her mom or cal again, why?

I slowly got out behind the box with Ella's worried eyes following me. I dried my eyes as best I could and managed a weak smile, as did she.

"Oh Cora." She said and pulled me into a long hug. Ella was disappointed that Jack and Rose hadn't got together, but she didn't know either of them as well as I did, so she wasn't so upset. She comforted me for a few miniuets, I tried to look as if it was working, but really I was still cut up inside.

"Er Cora, I have to go now, I have to be back by twelve thirty for lunch, my mommy said, are you gonna be okay?" She asked sympathetically I nodded.

"I'll be fine." I said, more convincingly than Rose had. "Thanks for the bracelet again, I'll see you later, tomorrow, probably."

Me and Ella said bye and then I watched her go out the door as she went to find her mommy. I stayed standing in the gym, not caring if someone saw me; I sighed and let a few more tears escape. I had it all planned out, how it would go today, I imagine Rose flinging her arms around Jack, telling him she loved him to and wanted to be with him, I saw him running with her to third class, them laughing and smiling all the way. I saw her dancing again with him tonight, everyone so happy for them. And then when the ship docked, they'd go off together, free to be with each other with no-one or nothing to stop them. And now... all that had gone away. That wouldn't happen...this is all wrong! It's not meant to be like this. She loves him too, I know she does, why couldn't she say it? I let a few more tears escape, no of this was meant to happen. The look on Jack's face when Rose left was heartbreaking, he was so depressed and heartbroken, they need each other, none of this was meant to happen, this shouldn't have happened this way. I shut my eyes and breathed in deeply. There may be, may be just a small tiny chance that they can still be together, she might still tell him... I'll try to make this happen.

_God, _

_If you do this, I'll never ask for anything again I promise, unless it's really major. Please do this for them. Please, please, please find a way for Rose and Jack to be together, please. Find some way to give her the courage to tell him, to break away from the trap she's in. Please do this, they deserve to be together. _

_Amen. _

I open my eyes to see the gym room. I sigh out, praying is my last hope. There's still a chance for them to be together, and hopefully with a bit of help, it will happen. I walk out of the gym and go back down the stairs to third class, I hope this works, for Jack and rose, please may it work...

**Authors note: Hope you enjoyed! I don't normally update 2 days in a row but I had the time to do it so I did! Please review, it helps me keep writing hearing that people like what I'm doing, or if you've got a comment in general. Please tell me what you thought of this. I'll update soon. xxx**


	16. Flying at sunset

I felt the gentle warm sunlight stream across my face as the ship sailed slowly into the sunset. The waves broke against the ship calmly, and the waves on the ocean were slowly rippling, with the breeze picking up strands of my hair. It was beautiful out here, it would have been perfect, if only today ended how it should do, with Jack and Rose been together and happy, instead of them both been miserable and apart. I was stood over the rail on the left side of the ship, near the bow part. Why did it have to end like this? I don't understand their making it so complicated when really it's simple, they should be together, and just forget everyone else, why can't they do that? Jack would have done that for her, why can't she break away from what she's been told and do what she wants. I know that she's scared, of her mom, and her fiancée, I mean god, I'd be scared if I had her mother, or if I had to marry _him_, but if she went with Jack, she'd never have to see them again, she could live a new life, with Jack, and it's obvious that he loves her, and she loves him! I know she does! The way she looks at him, she does and she's trying to deny it, but I don't get why! This is so complicated, grown -ups make things complicated, they make so many other reasons for not doing things when really, the answers so simple it's right in front of them, but they just can't see it.

I let out a sigh as I think this while looking into the deep sea. I turn my head to look at jack, who's quite a few meters away but I can still see the back of him. His blue coats blowing in the wind, it's getting chilly out here; I wish I brought a jumper or something out here. He doesn't seem to care if it gets cold or not, he doesn't seem to care about anything, now that Rose is gone. He turns his face a bit to the side, even though I'm not up close his expression makes my heart break, he's heartbroken, like, someone's ripped his soul out, and now nothings there, as if life means nothing without her. His eyes used to be bright with life, but now they look almost dead. He then turns his head again so that he's facing the ocean and I can't see him anymore. I can feel the lump in my throat, nope, doesn't work trying to push it down. I really, really try not to, but a few tears escape. This is all wrong! Jack and Rose belong together, they need each other, they can't be apart. It's like, god made each specially for the other one, they need to be together. It was going to be so perfect; I can still see them in my head now, been together, laughing, smiling, and so clear that I can't believe that it's not real.

I prayed, I prayed to god that they would find a way, at all costs to be together, why isn't he helping? Did he hear me? Maybe he can't help with this, maybe, this has to go like this, it's meant to be...no, I can't believe that, this isn't the way it should be. I look up at the sky, the pink and orange clouds floating in harmony.

_Please, make it work, please, for them._ I shut my eyes and silently pray, _I'll do anything, please, they're meant for each other._

I open my eyes and look back at Jack, and the clouds, the wind picks up in pace. I look around, but nothing's happening, it's not worked. I sigh and look down, I tried, I really did, oh rose, why can't you be with him, just take a chance, I would! I know you won't regret it. I look up back to the deck though my blurry teared eyes. I wipe the tears away with my sleeve. I just look onto the deck, I'm not sure what to think or feel now, I... wait, oh-my –god. All of a sudden I see a flash a blue, a blue dress and beautiful red hair...it's Rose! Rose is here! Oh my god she's here! My heart and stomach fill with butterflies and I can feel my heart beat. This is it, she's come back! She's going to tell him, they're going to be together! At least I think they are, oh god I hope they are, please say they are...

Suddenly Jack turns round, Rose must have said something, I'm not really in hearing distance, I slowly walk forward a bit, still quite far away, I wouldn't want them to see me now anyway, not at this moment. I put one hand on the wood that lead into the hallway and peer around the corner.

"I changed my mind." I make out Rose say...hang on...she change-she changed her mind! Yes yes yes yes yes!!! I feel so happy that I could burst or fly. This is how it should be, everything's right now. Just then he takes her hand and pulls her close to him. He looks so happy now that he has her, his eyes look full of life again; he smiled so much when she told him she changed her mind. I don't know what's happening but Jacks leading rose to the bow of the ship. She has her eyes closed, I think, oh, that must be why he's having to lead her, why are they doing that. I giggle slightly, it looks a bit funny. She's... getting onto the railing! He's holding her up and then steps onto the railing behind her. Then he gentle puts her arms out, so they're spread out. He lets go but she keeps them there, his hands are firmly on her waist, holding her up. He leans in and whispers something to her, then she opens her eyes, and gasps at the ocean and sky in front of her, she says something to Jack, I can't make out what she says but she looks incredibly happy. I smile widely as I watch them. She's flying, he's making her fly. Not just on the ship, but in life. She was locked up before, like in a cage, always been told what to do, and now she's with him, he's set her free.

He then takes each of her still spread out hands and they entwine their fingers with one another. A few seconds later she smiles and laughs, I don't know what at, maybe Jack said something. He then put's her arms down, so he's cradling her. She then turns to look at them intently, and they stare into each other's eyes. Slowly they get closer to each other, closer and closer until....my heart makes tiny butterfly's as they kiss. Not just any kiss, a _long_ kiss, like people do in movies. I know I shouldn't really be watching them but I can't help it, they look so beautiful together, so happy and at peace. Just then, at that moment, everything slot together, all the pecies fit together, and for that moment, nothing else matters, because they were together, and because of that everything seemed perfect.

_Thank you _I think silently to god, and whatever else that helped this happen. I smile; I can't help smiling looking at them! After a few minutes they break away, both of them now facing each other, his hands are wrapped around her waist, bringing her close to him tightly, and her arms are wrapped around his neck. They're talking about something, they talk for about a minute, god I wish I was closer, no; I wish I could be invisible, so I could go right up to them and hear. Just then she walks a bit away from him with her hand held out, wanting him to take it, they must be going now, he grins and takes it and takes a few steps-oh no they're coming! They'll see me. I gasp and quickly run down the deck really fast, keeping to the edge so there's no chance that they'll see me, and run into the hallway near to our room. I duck down outside a window and then watch them walk past, smiling and laughing, just like I pictured them. Wait-there not going in third class doors, that means...they're going to first class? Why would they do that? Maybe Rose needs to pack her things before she comes down here, she'll need her clothes after all. I stand up and sigh in relief and happiness, and skip down the corridor to our room. I smile as I skip, everything's gone the way it should do. I can't wait to see Jack with Rose tomorrow, I'll tell him then that I saw him at the bow with her, he won't mind, I know Jack, we'll just laugh about it. I can see our room number now as I skip, everything's perfect now, it's all going to plan, now that this has happened nothing can be ruined now, everything's gonna be fine. I get to our room and open the door, and go inside to talk to daddy and Tommy...

**Author's note: Another chapter! Any good? I hope people like this, I know it's short but that's because Cora can't hear or see a lot in this part. Please review! It really helps me to write. The next chapter is about to get very exciting... will update again sometime this week xxx**


	17. Dreams turn into nightmeres

_It's summer again, like it was the last time I was here. I can feel the cool air rush over my face and pick up strands of my hair. I look up at the electric blue sky, with the sun shining out on the pier. We're back in Santa Monica. I let out a smile, I feel so happy, I know everything's perfect. We're walking along the pier now, all three of us. I look up to my left and see Jack, he catches my eye and smiles at me his eyes lighting up like they always do when he smiles, I smile back, I don't even know how we got here, I can't remember anything before now, but I don't care, it's so beautiful here. _

_Rose is with us to, she turns round from looking out to sea and smiles when she sees me, her hair looks even more red, and glittering like diamonds. God, I've never seen her look so beautiful. The pier's so busy; people are everywhere, the fairs here too, with the huge wooden rollercoaster rushing past and the track. I can hear the sea gulls above, but these ones aren't vicious, they seem friendly, there not stealing people's food anyway! Like the one the stole daddy's ice cream..._

_Daddy, where is he? Just then a wave a relief hits me, suddenly I know he's ok, even though he's not with us now, he's around here somewhere, so are Tommy and Fabrizio. _

_Suddenly rose steps out in front of us, she looks at Jack, smiling, he looks at her just as much in love, then she kisses him, it lasts about ten seconds, I know that I really shouldn't, but I watch anyway, it makes me so happy, to see them together, so in love. They eventually break away; she looks at me happily, and then gets down to my level. _

"_Let's run." Her melodic voice rings, I laugh, why does she want to run? I look up at Jack, he looks just as confused as I do, but smiling at her all the same. _

"_Let's run!" She takes my hand and we run as fast as we can through the pier, laughing as we weave in and out of people and rides, we can hear Jack behind us, we took off before he did, he's laughing too. The wind gushes through my ears and the hem of mine and roses' dress dances in the wind, I look up at her, it's getting hard to run while laughing! I'm getting out of breath, but I still can't stop, I don't want to ever stop! She's smiling as she runs with me, her eyes look electric, she looks as alive, I feel so alive too, like if we just jumped, we could fly, above the pier, above the clouds! It's like a hundred electric currents are running through me, I can feel, hear, see everything, and the best part is, it's so perfect here! Everyone's happy, no one is hurt, or scared, or worried about anything! _

_Just as I think this we come to a stop, laughing so hard that I can hardly breathe! We've come to a grassy bank on a hill just above the pavement of the pier, with a deep oak wooden bench with a gold plaque on it. Jack catches us up just then, god, how fats were we running? He runs straight to Rose and picks her up in his arms, spinning her round and round, she shrikes and laughs as he does so. The he stops and kisses her again, before putting her down. He looks at me then. _

"_Oh no, I've not forgotten you." He says to me and picks me up and spins me around to, until I scream when it gets too fast, I can hear Roses' laugh in the background, and Jack laughs to as he puts me down. That's weird, usually it takes at least 5 mins before I can see properly when I've been spun round, but the pier isn't spinning, I can see fine. This place really is amazing. Rose is sat on the bench, in the blue and pink and white dress she has on, it's not like any of the other clothes I've seen her in, it's more relaxed, not as formal, she looks beautiful in it. She beckons me over and holds out her hand outstretched to Jack, to show that she wants' him to come over too. I walk over and sit beside her; Jack takes her hand and sits the other side of her. _

"_It's going to be okay." She says calmly to me, still happy, I don't know what she means, everything is okay now, why wouldn't it be? I don't think about it much though, I know that it is. _

"_Now it's gonna be tough, but we're gonna get though it alright, nothings gonna hurt you two. " Jack says, this is really weird, what are they talking about?! But I know that Jack won't ever let anything happen to me or Rose, but nothing can harm us here, everything's so perfect here. _

"_Cora." Rose says looking at me more serious now. "When it happens, whatever happens, don't let go of my hand, in there, don't let go of it." I nod when she finishes. I can feel the importance of what she's just said, I don't know why it's important, but I know I can't not do what she says. _

_She smiles again, she looks at jack and he does to. She leans back onto Jack, and I lean onto her as we sit there, Jack has his arm around us both._

"_It's going to be fine..." Her voice fades, the sunlight's getting brighter and brighter as I look out at the scene of the pier below us, it looks so beautiful, I've never seen greener grass, or bluer sky, everything so detailed and spectacular. It's still getting brighter, brighter still, until the feel of the bench and her warm skin fades away until..._

"Everybody up, life belts on!" I wake with a start as the light switch suddenly flicks on and I hear a pile of, it sounds like coats, fall to the ground. I have no idea what's going on, what's happening? Santa Monica, Jack, Rose, it's all gone, where has it gone? I rub my eyes and sit up as I try to wake up more. Life belts? Why do we need them? Slowly my eyes adjust to the room, until I can see properly. Everyone else is waking up, looking around, trying to work out what's going on.

It was so real, the grass, the pier, Jack and Rose, everything, it couldn't have been a dream, it couldn't! But it must have been....no, it wasn't a dream, there's more to it than that, we were really there, another place, the place after this world, maybe, where everything is perfect. Mommy said it was like that...

"What, what's he on about?" I hear daddy say from his bed. I'll think about the pier later, I've gotta work out what's going on here first. I've adjusted to the brightness now, daddy, Tommy and Alec are awake now. I throw the covers back and look over the bed railing to see what the officer threw on the floor, they're white, and puffy, oh, there life belts! They look... no way

"Oh what, you've gotta be jokin!" Tommy shouts as he gets up and steps in, water! Water! Why is there water in- no, no way, oh my god! It clicks just then, we're sinking! Oh my god, what's gonna happen, they said it couldn't sink, how-

"Cora, get dressed quick!" Daddy says quickly, snapping me out of my frozen panic, quickly I grab my clothes and put them on over my night dress, it's only thin material. I put my shoes on and grab my doll and climb down the ladder of the bunk, jumping at the last two steps. Alec runs out of the room just then, in panic, shouting in Swedish, he probably wants' to find his friends, the one's in Jacks room,

Jack! Is Jack gonna be okay? And Rose! What about her? Please let them be alright, god please let them be okay.

Everything was a blur then, Daddy finished putting his shoes on and took my hand and we raced down the corridor, twisting and turning at points. At one corridor rats were in front of us, they were running away too, usually I would have screamed, but I was too scared now, thoughts rushed through my head, what's gonna happen, are we gonna be okay, are Jack and Rose gonna be okay, where are we going, why, what about Tommy, daddy.

All these thoughts rushed past that I couldn't hear anything else. Suddenly.

"Oh god life belts!" Daddy stopped, brining me back to reality. I looked down and panicked, we were so busy rushing we forgot to put life belts on. Daddy looked in one room with the door open and found a few spare life belts. He tried to put one on me, but it was too big, it came down to my knees.

"That's the only size, oh shit." Tommy said, I looked up at daddy, panic written on my face. He pulled the life belt off me.

"Don't worry, you won't need one, they'll sort you out if anything bad is happening alright? I won't let anything hurt you." Daddy said as he picked me up and we started walking again. I look back over his shoulder and see the life belts on the floor, the two life belts!

"Daddy, go back you need one!" I said quickly to him, I need daddy to have one, he needs to be okay.

"If you can't av one then I'm not getting one." He said " I'm not putting myself before you." He said to me. I was about to day that he wouldn't be putting himself before me, he'd just be sure that he would be safe, when we turned the corner and saw a huge crowd of people on the stairway. Some were shouting at the officers on the other side of the gate, the gate, it's locked, why is it locked, we need to get out. Maybe they've come to unlock it.

"Oh god, come on." Daddy says as we go into the crowd. Tommy pushes through to the top to see what's going on. All the people in here are third class, like us. I feel tired here, been held by daddy. I hope this all get's sorted out soon...

"Please stay calm! Gentlemen allow women and children though to the front." The officer says for the hundredth time again. We must have been here at least half an hour. I keep drifting in and out of sleep. Why doesn't he just let everyone go through, then we can all get on boats, if we need to get on boats, I still don't really get what's going on. I feel a wave a tiredness wash over me again....

"You can't keep us locked up in here like animals, the ships bloody sinking!" I wake up suddenly to Tommy shouting at the officer. Why don't they just let us through! I look around again, I can't find Jack or Fabrizio anywhere...maybe Jack's with Rose, after all he did walk off to the first class part, but what about Fabrizio...

"Bring forward the women! Unlock the gates..." The officer on the other side of the gate says to another officer at the top with the keys, keys, there letting us out...well, only women, that's not fair, I want my daddy to be allowed out, I need daddy to be okay.

"Cora, when he opens them, run out, he'll let you through." Daddy said to me.

"I don't wanna go without you..."

"Women only!" The officer shouted, before daddy even had a chance to put me down the crowd was pushing and shoving, men were trying to get through too, why aren't they allowed through too? People shout and scream, I can hear and see people get hit, get hit, just for trying to break free? I scream as we get pushed and shoved and daddy turns me around in his arms and pulls me close to him. I let the tears run down my face, I jump as I hear a gun fire, making everyone and me scream. I can't block out the noise , I try to but I can't. I can feel the crowd moving and pushing, please let it stop soon, please let it stop.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE MAN THERE ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN DOWN HERE, LET US UP SO WE CAN HAVE A CHANCE!" Tommy shouts at the officer. Slowly the crowd stops pushing and I dare to look up, wiping the tear stains away.

"Don't cry Cora, It'll be fine, I promise alright." Daddy says to me, I nod and hug him, I really hope it will be okay.

"Jack!" Tommy shouts, I look up quickly and scan the crowd, Jack, Jack! I see him! He's okay! And Rose! She's there too! Daddy looks to, and then see's Jack. While I'm looking Jack see's me in the crowd and looks relieved, daddy pushes back through the crowd like Tommy's doing to go where Jack is, I ump down from daddy and run to where Jack is.

"Tommy!" Jack says back to him and they brotherly hug. I get to where they are just then.

"Cora!" He hugs me tight, like he's so relieved I'm okay, I hug him tight to. Afterward I look to Rose, she's looking at me too, she bends down to hug me.

"Thank god you're okay." She breathes. Her shins cold and wet, and her hairs wet to, they must have gone somewhere really flooded. When we finish hugging she manages a weak smile, but she's still worried, so am I as I turn back to look at Jack and Tommy.

"Can we get out?" Jack asks.

"It's hopeless that way!" Tommy replied, there's no way of getting outta there.

"Well whatever we do we've gotta do it fast." Jack said

"Jack!" We all heard an Italian accent, it was Fabrizio!

"Fabrizio!" Jack hugged his best friend.

"The boats are all gone." Fabrizio said-what, they were all gone, all of them, I suddenly felt sick to the stomach. They can't be all gone, no, there must be some left.

"This whole place is flooding we've gotta get outta here."

"There's niente this way." Fabrizio replied, niente must mean nothing in Italian.

"All right, let's go this way come on." Jack said to all of us and took my hand as we turned to go the other way...

"Wait." Daddy said, we all turned back round.

"You take Cora, but I'm not going, you just make sure she's safe." Daddy said, I felt my heartbeat quicken, no, daddy has to come, he can come, why doesn't he want to go with us. I run up to him

"No daddy, come with us, please, we want you to come." I said to him quickly, he has to come, I need him.

"Come on Joe, come with us." Jack called to daddy, we wanted him to come, I needed him, why won't he come.

"No, Cora, there are people down here that need help, I've gotta try and help them, besides, I'm not really up to running, I'll just slow you down." Daddy replied, no, no, he has to come, it was so like daddy, to want to help other people, but I need him, I need him to be with me.

"But daddy _I need_ you to _help me_, I need you to be okay." I cried, tears were going down his face to, he looked at me and pulled me into a tight hug.

"You listen to me, I'll be fine, okay, don't worry about me, I'll get through this." Daddy said and then pulled away from our hug to look at me again. "I'll be alright, promise, I'll see you, I just need you to be safe, I need you to stay safe for me." Daddy replied, I tried to breathe calmly and nodded, it had always been me and daddy, since mommy got taken to hospital, we'd always been together, keeping each other strong, it felt wrong to break away.

"I don't wanna go if you're not going." I said to him quietly, I took both of my shoulders.

"Cora, I promise you, I'll be fine, don't worry about me! Go with Jack, he'll look after you, and I promise I'll be alright, but you have to go, okay? You have to run for it. Okay? "

I looked back to Jack and everyone else, they were watching us with sad eyes. I turned back to daddy.

"Promise I'll be fine." He said firmly. I loved him so much, more than my own life. I don't want to break away, I need him to be okay. I looked in his eyes, he was telling the truth, he really did think that he was gonna be okay. Daddy's determined, and I know he won't rest until he is okay. He wants me to be safe so bad, I know he does. He trusts me to go and be safe without him, so, and it hurts, but I have to trust him to be safe to.

"Okay, I love you daddy." I hug him tight and he hugs me back.

"Love you Cora, so much." He said, finally we broke away, and managed weak smiles before I ran back to Jack and everyone else, Rose squeezed my hand tight, trying to tell me that it was okay.

"I'll take care of her, I promise." Jack said to daddy, daddy nodded. I looked at him one last time, he looked so determined, to help these people, to save himself. Just then, I knew he could do it, I knew he'd be okay. Even so I still prayed

_Please let daddy be safe, please take care of him god. _ I prayed silently. Everyone else said their goodbyes to daddy, and then we made our way through the corridor, I held on to Roses' hand all the way, squeezing it tightly back. I still didn't want to leave daddy, but he would be okay, I know he will be, and god will take care of him to. I prayed silently again as we went through corridors. I look up at Jack as we walk hurriedly. He looks down at me.

"Don't worry, It'll be alright, I promise, I'm not gonna let anything hurt you, either of you." He said to both me and rose, when he said the last bit she looked at him. He took my other hand then

"It'll be fine." He said again. Suddenly I felt safer, Jack wouldn't let anything happen to me, or Rose, and daddy would be okay too, he would be, I can't think anything different. I feel calmer as we walk now, it's going to be okay, it has to be, like Rose said in my dream, it's going to be fine.

The dream, that has to mean something, to do with this, maybe. I don't know, I can't think about that now. We come to some stairs, this must be another way out, hopefully it will be, and we'll be okay....

**Authors note: Ta da! Hope you like it, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I skipped it to when the officers came round and told people to put life belts on cause Cora's far too young to see what Jack and rose got up to, lol. I wasn't even planning of putting the dream part in it, but it just came to me. It's like Cora's for-warned of what's going to happen. I know she also had another dream, earlier on in the story, with the rollercoaster and then she saw all the water in the ship, she's gonna remember that dream later on to. I believe that dreams mean things, so I wanted to put that belief into the story, and it makes it interesting, in my opinion, tell me what you think. PLEASE REVIEW! I've not got any reviews for the last chapter, is anyone still reading this? Will update this week sometime, but please review, let me know you're all still out there, lol. Xxx**


	18. Breaking the barriers

Everything's a blur now as we walk hurriedly through the corridors; I know what's going on, but it's moving too fast, everything happening at once and my minds still trying to get around that. I know they're people shouting, running past me, calling to each other, but none of it makes any sense, I can't even make out what they're saying. I feel completely numb, my body's moving, I can feel myself walking, gripping roses' hand tightly as we move hurriedly, but it doesn't feel like I'm here, that this is all real. My minds in a different place, I can only think of daddy, why didn't he come with us?! I know why but I wish he had, If he came with us he'd be okay, I know he would be, and I need him to be okay. Oh please let him be okay. No, it will be okay, he has to get out of this, he will do, and we'll be fine too, everyone, me, rose, jack, Tommy, Fabrizio and Helga, we will be, we have to get out of here, and we will, Jack said he wouldn't let anything happen to me or rose, and he meant it, I know he did, so we'll be okay, we have to be...

"This way." Jack snapped me out of my thoughts, I quickly looked up at him as he ran quickly up the stairs, Roses' grip was still tightly on my hand, I can't tell who's palms sweatier now, I turn to look at her, she looks really worried, her red hairs now only slightly wavy now because of the water, and her dress is drenched. At least I know that there's someone just as scared as me. With her tight grip on my hand she leads me up to stairs quickly, I turn around, are Tommy and Fabrizio and Helga still okay? I sigh out with relief when I see them climbing the stairs quickly too. Tommy doesn't really look scared, just determined, I don't think he wants to show fear, but Fabrizio looks a bit scared, more for Helga I think, she looks so frightened, I don't think she really understands what's going on, I mean, she must know that we're sinking, but that's about it, and she can't ask questions because she can't speak very good English. I'm so scared now, but I'd be even more terrified if I was her. She turns round behind her to look at Fabrizio, her eyes are pleading, they look full of fear, and at the same time you can tell that she loves him. He holds her gaze, and, it looks like he can talk to her just through her eyes. He tries to reassure her through them, that it was okay, that it's going to be okay. After a few seconds she turns back and carries on up the stairs, with him behind her, I turn round and carry on climbing them; they seem to go on forever, even though they must only be ten steps at the most. I hope this is a way out, please, please let it be a way out...

"Just go back down the main stairwell, and everything will be sorted out there, go back down the main stairwell." I can hear an officer say at the top of the stairs, oh no, not this again! Nothing will get sorted out there! Why can't they just let us through, I don't understand!! Roses' expression gets more worried when she hears that, we glance at each other, and then run up the stairs even quicker until we're on another short corridor.

"Open the gate." Jack says firmly as me and rose run to where he is, at the gate. I hear Tommy, Fabrizio and Helga run behind us. I put my hands on the huge Iron Gate. It feels really cold, I shake the gates a little, I know that I can't break it, but I just wanted to see if it might loosen. Oh god, it's so heavy and thick, there's no way that we're gonna get past here, unless he unlocks it. I look up at the officer; he has the keys in his hand! Why doesn't he just unlock it, why does everyone want to keep us locked in here? Third class used to be free, everyone helped each other, you were allowed to be yourself, we had no chains to hold us down, it was first class who had all the rules and regulations, they were the ones who were in cages, having to act a certain way. Now it's us that are been locked up, forced to stay in here while everyone else can be free. It makes no sense! Why can't everyone be free?! _Please open the gate_ I pray silently, _please open it...._

"Go back down the main stairwell." The officer replies automatically, like he's a machine, repeating the same thing.

"Open the gate right now!" Jack says with more force, he looks so determined to get us outta here, I can tell, he really wants us to be safe again.

"Go back down the main stairwell like I told you!" The officer repeats again, this is hopeless! How are we meant to get out if they won't let us! Jack sighs and turns back to us, we both look up to see rose, she sighs too, she senses it's helpless too, it's like we're chained up, the keys are right outside but no one can get them, the more we struggle we more hopeless it is, we could so easily be saved but no one some to help, and-

"GOD DAMMIT, SON OF A BITCH!!!" I get snapped out of my thoughts and jump at the sound of Jack shouting and the gates been shook. My hearts pounding so hard I can feel it in my chest, and feel my blood run hot and cold at the same time. My breathing quickens panicky, I can feel rose grip my hand tighter. In the space of a second Jack flung himself against the gates, trying to break them. Rose stepped back slightly; it frightened or shocked her too. I've never seen Jack get angry before, I didn't think he ever could get mad, he seems far too calm and kind for that, I never imagined he could get like this, it scares me. I know that he would never hurt me, or rose, or anyone of us, but it's scary to watch. My eyes dart around, I look back at Fabrizio and Helga, Fabrizio looks shocked by Jacks outburst, but not worried at all, he looks like he's prepared to go in if his best friend needs help. Helga's eyes scream fear, she can't have any idea what's going on, she's gripping Fabrizio's hand tightly, I see him gripping it back just as much, reassuring her without words. I still have roses' grip on my hand, it's like we need each other now even more, to hold onto each other. I'm terrified now, about everything, about the ship, daddy, the gates, Jack, the water, but holding her hand tight gives me just a little bit of reassurance, makes me feel safer.

Suddenly Jack runs past us to the wooden bench at the side of the corridor, why is he- he's gonna pull it off! He's gonna bash the door down. He starts to pull it off, the bottom nails begin to come loose from the floor, it starts to come apart.

"Fabri, Tommy give me a hand here." Jack calls to them and they ruin to pull apart the bench, it comes loose quicker now, this has to work now, if this doesn't then nothing will.

The officer shouts at them to stop, but I know that they won't, we're trying to get out! Why should they stop, we have to get out of here!

"Move aside, move aside!" Rose shouts and pulls people out of the way as the bench becomes looser and eventually comes away from the wall altogether. She pulls me firmly to the side, letting go of my hand for the first time since I went with them, I don't like it, I'm used to her hand been in mine, it makes me feel unsafe, now that she's not with me. I look at Helga, standing there in the middle of the corridor, looking utterly terrified, she can't follow anything we're saying, all the noise and shouting's terrified her. Her tear filled blue eyes are fixed on the bench, like she's in a trance. I wish I could talk to her, to make her understand everything, let her know that this is okay, it's to help us. She doesn't move, she still stands there like a statue, staring at the bench, I wish I could help her, help her understand...

"Move aside!" Rose shouts and pulls her away from the middle of the room. This snaps her out of her trance and she looks at rose and then turns back to face the scene in front of us. I feel Rose take my hand again and grip it tightly, she squeezes it and I squeeze back, neither of us look up at each other, our eyes are focused on what's going on. Jack and Fabrizio and Tommy are holding the bench up, ready to push it through the gate. Jack looks so angry and determined to get this done. _This has to work_ I think to myself _please, please let this work, it has too! _

"ONE...TWO...THREE!" Jack shouts and they run and push the bench into the gate, it crashes and rattles loudly, some of its come loose, yes, it's working! We're gonna get out of here! Just one more time, one more push into the gate and we should be able to get out, please let this work, we can do it, please let it work...

"AGAIN!" Jack shout and they ram it into the gate forcefully and it crashes to the ground. They knocked it down! Yes, we can escape! People around us rush through the gap, desperate to get out. I can't believe we can actually get out! This means that everything's gonna be okay!

I turn round to see Jack coming towards me and rose; he looks at us both and then takes her hand.

"Let's go rose, Cora." He says as we walk through the corridor, I sigh of relief as we pass onto the other side as the broken gate. What Jack did back there, it was incredible. I know why he did it, what made him do that, he did it for rose. He turned back to her and couldn't bear to see her distressed, in danger, he loves her so much and he'd do anything for her, I know he would, he wanted to make her safe, and he'd do anything to do that. I know that they've only known each other a few days, but their love is so strong and real, I know it is. Something else must have happened today, to make their love even stronger, because they're closer than ever now.

We're heading outside, to where the boats are, there are bound to be one's left they wouldn't let people go without them, and then we can all get on the boat, and we'll all be okay. Daddy will be on one too, he _has _to be okay, he just has to be, and then we'll all find each other again, and everything will be okay. I really hope it is, we have to be through the worst now? Yes, we are, it _will_ be fine. Tommy and Fabrizio and Helga are behind us, I think we're getting closer to the deck, I can hear more noise and a breeze from the night air. I can't think too much, if I do them I'll panic, I just have to keep thinking that it will be okay, because it will be, it's bound to be. I grip roses' hand tighter as we get closer to the outside, and I feel her firm grip back.

_Please let it be okay now_ I think silently to myself, I sigh, it will be fine now, we're getting nearer the boats, we'll be fine.

Soon we reach the door at the top of another flight of stairs, jack opens it and we step out into the cold night air...

**Hey, hoped you enjoyed it, late update I know, sorry about that. Is the ending to this chapter okay? I didn't really know how to end it. I forgot to mention it in the last chapter but you know now, Helga was with Fabrizio when he found Jack at the gates where they weren't letting anybody through, and the gun went off, I just forgot to write that she was there, but now you know. Reviews are appreciated. Will update soon. Xxx **


	19. A risk worth taking

I took in a breath and gasped in the cold air as I saw the velvet black midnight sky. It's so cold and sharp up here, like everything's come more into focus. I look up and down the deck, people are calling to each other, crying, shouting, rushing in all directions, to get to the boats, god I hope there are some left, there must be some boats left, they would have made sure there were enough... i hope they did. Rose still has my hand, i can feel her tight grip, I'm really scared, but knowing that she's got my hand makes me feel a bit safer. I don't look up at anyone I'm with, not even Jack; I'm too occupied with the sky. The thousands of stars in the sky look so gold and silver, they're even more beautiful tonight than I've ever seen them. I'm in my own world again, i know what's happening around me, but just for a second it's great to forget everything, and get hypnotized by the stars....

Suddenly i get snapped out of my thoughts and feel been pulled along by Roses' hand, I'm defiantly back in the real world now; the shouting from the other side of the boat seems even louder now. I run with everyone else and stop when we get to the railing, Jack get's there first and looks towards the other half of the ship, me and rose are there now too, what are we looking for? Is it...

"The boats are gone." Rose shouts, no, what?! The boats, no, the boats can't be all gone! They just can't be, didn't they make enough? Were we too late? I feel hot and cold and the same time, everything's slowing down in my mind. Oh god please let there be boats left, please let them, there has to be some left...

I get pulled along again, further up the first class part of the ship we're at, i can't think straight, I've got so many thoughts going off at once, and none of them make any sense, the boats, there has to be some left,

DADDY!!! What about him?! Is he here now? If he doesn't get here soon then they're might not be any left.!! Oh god please let him okay, he has to get to a boat soon, he has to be okay, he has to get through this...

"Cornel , are there any boats here?" Rose asks the man in front of us that she's just run to, he's wearing a suit and top hat, she must know him from first class...

"No miss but there are a couple of boats all the way forward, this way I'll lead you." He replies, but before he gets a chance to we're running to the other side, there are boats left! Yes, , we can all get on a boat! Happiness surges through me, as long as we run fast to get there, we can make it, we can they must have let them out now, either that or they escaped like we did. Me, Rose, Jack, Tommy, fabrizio, Helga, daddy, all of us can get rescued! Finally things get better, i guess someone is looking out for us all....

We must have been running for am minuet now, it's tiring having to run so fast, but i won't stop, no way, we have to get to the boats. I just realize now that there's music playing, and as we run we get closer to the musicians, i see them now, all playing, trying to keep everyone calm probably. That's go brave and generous of them, they're not even trying to get on a boat, and they don't even look scared, they're just playing, trying to keep people calm.

"Music to drown by, now I know I'm in first class." Tommy joked behind me, i hadn't heard his voice for a while, it was good to hear it. He was running behind us with Fabrizio and Helga, with me rose and jack at the front. I hope Helga isn't scared anymore, or at least that she's not as frightened as she was, she looked so terrified when they knocked down the gate, i hope she's okay now.

A few seconds later we get to the boats, and a huge crowd of people huddled around them. I can't see much, and the crowds so big that if i weren't holding onto Roses' hand, i feel I'd get hurt in here. I can hear officers shouting, people crying, but, why are they crying, it's okay, the boats are here, we can get on one...

"Cora, come here." Jack's arms reach out and pick me up so i can get through the crowd easier. I cling to him tightly as we somehow made our way through the crowd, i always feel safe with Jack, it's good to feel the warmth of his body when it's freezing out here...

A few seconds later we find a space, Tommy, Fabrizio and Helga follow behind us. Some people step aside to let us in. When there's a space that we can move in Jack put's me down, but he holds my hand with one arm. I look up at him, he's got rose in front of him, he's holding onto her, making sure she doesn't get pushed by the crowd. Fabizio's holding onto Helga in the same way, she still looks frightened but not as scared as before.

I turn back to the lifeboats, people are crying, shouting, everyone looks so scared. People are hugging, couples saying they don't want to leave. Why are they saying that? We're going on the boats, everyone is, everyone who's here, why-

"For the time being i shall be requiring women and children only, Gentlemen please..." I didn't even hear what the officer had gone on to stay, only women and children, why? Why couldn't everyone get on? Wasn't there-there's not enough room. It dawned on me just then, and that horrible sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, and feeling hot and cold, the world speeding up and slowing down at the same time happened all over again. Oh god, that means Jack! And Fabrizio and Tommy, and daddy! No, there has to be another way, they have to let them on! They have to be rescued, they have to be safe, otherwise, i don't know! But they have to be safe, to get off of here, they have to live! Oh god, this is not happening, why did this have to happen, no...

I turn to Jack and rose, her face has gone completely pale. I can see her breathing's quickened, just as mine has. Jack doesn't look scared much, but i think deep down he is, he just won't let it show, for roses' sake. I turn to Fabrizio and Helga, Fabrizio explaining to her that the boats just for women and children, she looks panicked now. He's trying to reassure her that he will be okay, he'll get on a boat later. After a moment or two she nods tearfully.

"You better check the other side, go." Jack say's to Tommy and Fabrizio, i think he means to check if they're boats that they can get on. Fabrizio turns to Helga, they really don't want to leave each other, they share a long kiss and then Fabrizio and Tommy run to the other side, Tommy nods at me before he leaves. I hope I'll see them again soon...

"I'm not going without you." Rose suddenly turns to Jack, she looks so scared, it's tearing her apart that she might have to leave him.

"No you have you have to go, now." Jack replies, he really wants her to get on the boat, i know he wants to make sure that she's safe, when we were sat beside the rail in third class and he was telling me about her i could tell that he loves her so much, he'll do anything to keep her safe.

"No Jack."

"Get on the boat Rose."

"No jack." Rose shakes her head in protest, she defiantly won't go without i fight, i won't leave either without them both, i care about them both so much and i can't just leave without-

"Yes get on the boat Rose!" I jump startled at the harsh male voice, all three of us turn to look at him. He's tall with black hair and dark cold eyes, the kind that make you shudder. He's wearing a suit and a stern expression on his face. Who's he? How does he know-is he...yes, he must be, her fiancé! Well, ex-fiancé now. No wonder Rose didn't like him, he looks so cold inside, not nice at all. I look up at Rose, she looks shocked and scared at seeing him. He must have been really horrible to her.

"My god, y-you look a fright, here." He-i think his name was Cal, says to rose and throws the blanket that Rose was wearing at Jack and gives his coat to her, placing it on her shoulders, she looks _very_ uncomfortable when he does this, god, why doesn't he just go away, he must know that Rose doesn't want him, she loves Jack. He's clearly not got the message because after he's placed the coat on her shoulders he starts stroking her hair. She quickly turns away and Jack blocks him from her, pulling and protecting me too, i know he cares about us both.

"Go on, I'll get the next one." Jack tells rose looking deep into her eyes, trying to make her get on.

"No, not without you..."

"I'll be alright, listen I'll be fine, I'm a survivor alright, don't worry about me, now go on, get on with Cora." Jack says to rose, he really wants her-needs her to be safe, but it's obvious she won't leave unless he will be too. She's clinging to him, not wanting to be apart even for a second. While Jack is saying this i glance around, and find Cal glaring at me with them dark piercing eyes, as if this is all my fault. It's clear he thinks I'm worth nothing, with my third class cloths, and my slightly darker skin doesn't help. I just stare back, scared to even look away, i feel cold inside now. A few seconds later he

"I have an arrangement with an officer on the other side of the ship, me and Jack can get off safely, both of us." Cal interrupts. That's weird, i thought Cal didn't like Jack, after all he was rude to him at the dinner and he sent his servant to find Rose when she was with us in third class, that couldn't have made him happy, so why was he been nice?

"See, got my own boat to catch, go." Jack says to her, but he looks sad as he says it, why is he upset, he'll only be without her for a while.

"Go on hurry, there almost full." Cal say's light-heartedly to her-

Whoa! Suddenly I'm in the air, feeling arms around me that feel uncomfortable, before i even have time to think I'm back on wooden surface again, only this time I'm not with Rose and Jack, I'm looking at them. I'm on the lifeboat, i can feel it gentle swaying slightly with the movement. Suddenly another officer grabs roses' arm, and another takes Helga's arm-Helga! I feel so bad, i forgot she was here! We will look after her, me and rose, we'll make sure she's okay.

"Step aboard miss." The officer who takes roses' arm says to her and steers her towards the boat that me and Helga are now in. Other officers take her hands and help her into the boat, she turns round to Jack and reaches out for his hand, he grabs it but then the officer on the ship breaks them apart.

"AND, LOWER AWAY." The officer commands and the boat suddenly jilts into life and starts moving downwards towards the sea below. I should feel safe here, but i don't, not when i know that Jack and daddy and Fabrizio and Tommy are still on the ship-at least i know that Jack can get on a boat, and that means that Tommy and Fabrizio might too, and daddy, or they might already be on one-

I look up at the sky again, the stars are so bright, i really hope everything will be okay, that we will see them again, and we will, won't we? We have to...

I look to Rose, she looks as if she's going to burst into tears any moment. I feel scared too, i thought everything was going to be okay now, but it's not. I feel a grip on my hand, i know it's roses' grip on mine. I look up at her and she looks at me, we're both scared, and then we look up at jack again. Cal's saying something to Jack, and he says something back, but i can't make out what they're saying. Jack stars at Rose the whole time, he looks really, really upset, like he might cry too. But he's going to be okay, the boat, he can get on the boat that cal said he could, they'll only be apart for tonight, why are they.....

There's no boat. It hit me like a ton of bricks just then, crashing my mind. It makes sense now, it's suddenly clicked, he only said that so Rose would get on the boat, so he could have her back, and Jack-oh god jack, what's he going to do. I want to scream out but I'm too chocked up. I look at Rose, panicked and worried, she turns to me, and then realization hit's her too. She looks back up at him, more tears clouding over her emerald green eyes.

She can't be without him, i know she can't, and he can't be without her, they belong together, they always have, they were just waiting for the other one to find them. Their love is so strong, you can feel it between the two of them, and for them to be without it would be like to be without air. Neither of them can survive without each other, not properly, they need each other, they belong together.

Quickly Rose looks to Helga, i look to, she's un-aware of the scene happening now, she's talking in Norwegian to another woman with a two year old girl. She looks relaxed, almost happy. Seeing this rose turns to me.

"Cora promise me you'll stay here." Rose said quickly to me, holding both of my arms, what? Stay here? Where else can i go, it's a boat.

"Wha-" I start to say, confused, but then Rose interrupts me.

"Please just stay here." She says firmly, what does she mean, none of this makes any sense. Before i get a chance to ask her what she means she glances back up at Jack quickly, and then, wha-what is she-

"ROSE!!" I shout as she leans forward and jumps back onto the ship, people on the lifeboat gasp. Oh my god, she jumped back on! He means that much to her, that she's risking her life!

"ROSE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" I heard Jack shout from above.

"STOP HER!" Cal shouted. Officers ran to help pull her in and then she ran, ran so fast that i barely saw her go...

I have to jump, i don't care what she told me i have to jump to, i can't be without them both! I'm not really thinking, i don't even feel like I'm in my own body, suddenly I'm moving and then I'm in the air, then clinging for life onto the side of the ship, oh god, oh no, i can't fall! Please don't let me fall! I scream as my legs kick against the side of the ship, a second later i feel pairs of arms roughly pull me in, and then I'm running, tears streaming down my face, where are they!? I need to find them! Lots of people are here, on the deck, how am i meant to find them!?

I ran to the end and went into another corridor, but that went on for ages, no, there not her, breathing hard i ran back the other way, i ran and found a stair way, i ran and looked over the rail, they were there! In each other's arms. Rose was crying, said something to Jack and then he kissed her quickly and hugged her tight.

I flew down the stairs, racing to get to them,

"Cora!" Jack called to me with relief and picked me up and help me tightly in-between him and rose. I cried silently onto his shoulder, i wasn't sure what for, but this was really emotional, i felt drained.

"Why didn't you stay on the boat!? Jack made me face him and shook me once gently.

"I couldn't just leave without wither of you!" I protested. I looked to him and Rose, she smiled at me and placed her hand on my hair, Jack looked at me too, he understood and hugged me again.

"I'm just glad you're alright, both of you, don't worry, we'll think of something." He said to both of us, hugging me and rose.

"At least I'm with you both." Rose said gladly through the last of her tears.

"We'll think of something..." Jack repeated, and him and rose began to talk but i heard none of it, i completely froze, i could feel my blood beat in my head, my palms became sweaty. My blood ran cold, i wanted to scream but i couldn't move, my eyes were fixed on the Cal, above the stairs, pointing a gun.

And then it went off....


	20. Panic

My heart's pounding so hard I can't think, I can barley breath. I'm frozen, I can't move, I want to scream and shout but I can't, I'm too terrified, all I can focus on is him and the gun. His dark eyes look full of anger, god, he's going to shoot! I can feel and hear my blood beating hard in my head, everything's suddenly in slow motion, but I know really it's going so fast. My eyes are frozen onto his, I don't want to look at him, I want to kick and scream and run away, but I can't, it's like I'm being hymotised under a dark spell. Oh god, he's got a gun, he's got a gun! Please don't shoot, please don't hurt us, why do you want to, please don't just leave us alone, please god help us, don't let us get hurt....

Just then I felt jacks head turn slightly, I think he says my name but then his voice trails off, maybe noticing how frozen I am, I don't know, I can't think straight, I'm shaking, everything's a blur feel dizzy, I can't think. Jacks grip's suddenly tightened, maybe he's seen, I don't know, I can't breathe, please let everything be okay, oh god, everything's going blurry, I can't think, I can't see properly, I can just hear the blood in my head, I-

I gasp as suddenly I feel I'm moving at the speed of light down the stairs, everything's blurry, the people, the voices, I can't make them out, I can't breathe, the whole rooms spinning,

OH M GOD! I scream and burry my head into Jacks shoulder as the gun goes off, oh my god, oh my god he shot! We're going to get hurt! Please let us be okay, please don't let him hurt us! I cling tightly to Jack, letting my tears pour down my face while he's running so fast with me, and rose, ROSE! Is she okay?

I know Jacks okay but what about her!? I quickly dare to look up from Jacks shoulder, I lift my head just enough to peek out, is she-yes, she's okay! My heart relaxes an ill but, okay, we're safe for now. I scan the room, people are staring at us in shock, that's all they're doing, and they don't dare try to stop him I mean, he has a gun, how can they stop him, how can anyone?! But, where, I can't see him, has he gone? No he's, what- he's on the floor, how- just then I notice the head of the statue on the floor-he slipped over, maybe he can't walk now, may- then cold and hot sweat runs over me again, he gets up and runs towards us again, oh god, why does he have to do this! We've not done anything wrong! My hears racing, I cry and burry my head back into Jacks shoulder, I can hear him shouting, but I can't make out what he's saying, I don't care at the moment, I'm just so scared!_ Please let us be safe, please let us get away from him, we've not done anything wrong, please..._

My stomach suddenly drops and I feel my feet on the wooden steps, before I can even think I feel my hand being grabbed by a rough firm hand and being pulled along, all that happens before I can even get my eyes in focus. Okay, there in focus now, I look around hurriedly, I can see jack in front, pulling my hand, but why did he put me dow-oh my god.

Water, the whole room's flooded water, I'm usually fine with water, I love to swim, but I've never being more terrified at the sight. My breathing quickens, this can't be happening, all of this happened so quickly, but it seems like forever, it must have only been a few seconds but it feels hours.

I jump slightly as I feel my other hand being took, this hand is smooth and delicate, Roses. I squeeze both ands tightly, like somehow that will make it all better, and all this will go away. I close my eyes and open them again quickly, we're still here, the room cold and flooded, but it makes me feel a lil safer, being able to squeeze their hand, to have them both here. And Jack will keep us safe, me and rose, he will, I know he will, will be okay, we have to be, god I hope will be okay...

" Come on Rose, Cora come on!" Jack calls to us urgently as we run down the stairs, he's got my hand and so he's had to let go of roses, she's still holding my other hand tightly, I squeeze it and I feel her instantly squeeze it back, I'm not on my own, I have them and they have me, we can all do this, we can all get away, I know we can, we have to!

I hear the water at the steps splash and I look down, Jack had already stepped into the water, I was at the end of the steps, I knew I had to, god, why am I so scared of this water, it's that or get shot, I suddenly shivered at the idea, no, that wasn't going to happen, we were all going to be okay. I looked up and saw jack look at me, his eyes had a look that said "Don't worry, you can do this, it's going to be okay." I nodded my head slightly and stepped and ran into the water. We were all running again, through the water, hey, it's not that bad, it only a bit col-

I gasped and felt myself freeze, but I had keep going. The water came up to my waist, even though it only came up to Jack and roses' knees. It's painful, it's so painful, like icicles stabbing my below the waist, I can't breathe, I can't breathe! It takes me five seconds for me to gasp air in, my face crumples with the pain and I struggle but I have to let the tears silently out, below the waist, it hurts so much, the stabbing, freezing pain that I can feel everywhere, my feet, my legs, my stomach, oh god it won't go away! Just as I begin to cry through the blurred tears I see Jack turn and in a second I feel my legs feel the air again and the pain stop. He carrying me now, and holding onto roses hand, he's talking to us both, saying "Come on" I-

I scream and so does rose as another gunshot lets off, oh my god he's down here! I feel us move quicker then, we're nearly at the end of the room, I hear the water splash from the other side, no, please don't say he's gonna follow us! But we're nearly at the end of this part, we can run in the other room, it's got no water in it. Jack pulls Rose forward so she can go first, she wades through the water and then we follow her through the door, we both scream again as another gunshot goes through the window, we run a few more steps and then were clear, we're safe!

Well for now anyway, but we made it in here, If we keep running now then we can get away! I try to hear sounds of water splashing, but I can't hear anything, so, so he must not be following us! I feel a huge wave of relief wash over me, he's not following us, and we're safe!

"I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOU'RE TIME TOGETHER!" I hear him shout from the other room, obviously not meaning that. We're not taking any notice, we're still running, with Jack carrying me and pulling rose behind us. I know that we're still in danger, I mean, we're sinking, but I feel more relaxed now, we can get through that, so we can get through everything else, I know we can.

I look around the room as Jack runs with me, there are tables and chairs everywhere, some still with plates on them, and some with them smashed on the floor the chairs and tables turned over.

This must be the dining room. It's weird to imagine that people were in here, eating and drinking and being happy, and now it's empty, silent, and no one will come here again. We get to the end of the room and run down a hallway, full of plates and knives and forks, and then we run down a rail of stairs, we must have had to take at least three turns before we got to the bottom. Finally we're here, at the bottom of the rail, Jack put me down and then we were all silent, listening for any sign that he might be coming. I look downwards, oh no, there's more water! I'm not stupid, I knew there would be water, but I didn't think it would hurt as much. I closed my eyes tightly, no, come on, I'm not going to be scared, I'll get used to the water, I can get though this, we all can, and I have Jack and rose, so I don't need to be scared. I opened them again and breathed out, I can feel Jacks hand grip mine, I feel safer, knowing that he's there, that I'm not on my own. All I can hear is us breathing, I have Jack and rose, if I have them then I know we get survive, we can make it, I have too, for daddy and mommy too, we're going to get though this, no matter how hard it is...

**Authors note: Hey, I really hope you all like this, I'm not sure about this chapter but I hope it goes down well with you. Sorry for not updating for ages! I was very busy but now I can update more, and I hope to go back to what I was doing before which was update twice or so every week. I really want to get past this sinking part, it's difficult to write sometimes and I want to get round to having my own imput instead of editing the film, which I have really loved doing but I really want to make my own scenes now. Tell me what you think of this chapter please! Gemma xxx**


	21. Calm before the storm

We all stood breathlessly looking up at the white low ceiling and walls surrounding us, trying not to make a sound in case cal comes, I hope we've see the last of him, the thought of him coming down the stairs and finding us, staring with his dark soulless eyes makes me shiver, I imagine it so real that I jump when I look at the staircase, thinking for a moment that he was here, his trousers wet form the water and his hair all messed up.

For that second my heart beats rapidly, I can feel it in my chest and hear it, and the world seems to stop spinning and the feeling of dread piles up in my throat, but it's just for a second, and I realize that he's not really there, it's just an empty space with a thin layer of water coming down the stairs. I sigh relief; I really need to get control of my mind, I get sucked into my imagination so quickly, and it's so vivid it all seems real, sometimes I don't know what's real and what I make up. But this isn't the time to imagine anything; I have to stay in the real world for now. I feel my doll in my arm, I still have her with me, through breaking the gate and cal's shooting, my mommy gave her to me, i need to keep her with me.

I let out a silent sigh and close my eyes, when I open them I look down at the floor, there's not that much water here, only up to our ankles, it's really cold though, I can feel it through the edges of my tights. But I'll get used to it, I'll have to.

I look up at the ceiling again, I can still feels Jack's grip on my hand, and I feel the heavy material of a coat brush my fingers and then a smooth cold hand grasp them, that must be roses hand. This may sound strange but for a moment it's nice been down here, it feels peaceful, with just us three standing here breathing, with no shouting or sound of really heavy water rushing, just the sound of some coming slowly down the staircase, and droplets dripping from the ceiling, if I close my eyes I can forget that we're in danger, that everything's horrible, that I'm standing in just a lake or river, with the sound of spitting rain dropping down onto the water, maybe the sun could be out. I open my eyes again, I'm not stupid, I know it's not real, but it was nice for a moment to pretend that this isn't happening, that everything's okay.

Here where's there's no panic, I can believe that everything will be okay, we'll find a way out, get another boat, or another ship will come and rescue us, we'll find Daddy and Tommy and Fabrizio and-

Wha-what's that, I can hear crying in the distance, getting louder by the second, no, maybe it's just me, thinking I can hear it, but I wasn't imagining anyone crying... I look to Rose, she has a confused worried look on her face, she looks like she's listening, making sure the sound is real, I look to Jack, he looks down at me in the same way, and about a second later we all turn to look down the long corridor at the same time.

I gasp silently and stare when I see where the crying's coming from. Near the end of the corridor a boys standing against the wall wearing a brown overcoat that's far too big for him, looking terrified, tears stained down his face, he's crying "PAPA!" Over and over again, oh god, he must be lost! Behind him the closed doors that lead to another part of the corridor are heaving with overflowing water coming from them, the wood creaking every so often, as if a reminder that they will give way. "PAPA!" He shouts and turns to look at us, he looks so scared, I would be too if I was separated in here with the flood-

Hang on, is he, no, now way... yes it is, it's him! I recognize the boy, he was in goal when I tried to join the boy's football game, I think his names...Erik, yeah, that's his name, I remember someone shouting to him in the game. I remember him even more clearly now, smiling, laughing when he saved the goals, to look at him now, terrified and alone, it's heartbreaking.

We have to save him, we have to do something. We can't just leave him here, we've seen him now and we have to help him. Maybe that's the reason that we ended up down here, to help save him.

Jack looks to the stairs, seeing the water levels again, there's still not much water coming down them,

"We can't leave him." Rose said, it's as if she heard what I was thinking, her eyes fixed on Eric, she's right, we can't just leave him, we have to save him. Jack looked at the water levels and then Eric, he knew we had to save him too.

"Alright come on." Jack said and he let go of my hand to run fast down the corridor the reach Eric, rose still held my hand tightly and we ran as fast as we could through the freezing water, I caught my breath every time we splashed through it, I knew I'd have bear it and get used to it but it still can't quite prepare you for how freezing it is. Sparks from the lights come down making snapping sounds and the water droplets get bigger and heavier from the ceiling, I have to keep telling myself that we'll get outta here, that we will be okay, but when all this is happening around you it's difficult to even imagine that.

A few seconds later we reach Eric, jack gets there first and picks him up with ease, the way he picks me up. Eric's ten, my age. He stops crying for a moment when jack picks him up. I know he's not English, I think he's Swedish or Norwegian like Helga, no, I think he's Swedish. When me and rose get there, soaking wet, he looks down at me from jack's arms, with a look of just remembered recognition. But then a second later we're all running again, to get back to the stairs, it's okay, we have Eric now, we've saved him, the stairs are only a few steps away but it seems to take forever to get there, finally we're-

No, oh please no, this can't be happening! The stairs are now flooded with rushing water pouring into the corridor, there's no way we'll be able to get up them now. There has to be another way to get out, this can't be it.

"GO BACK!" Jack shouts and we run back , trying to find another way out, there's a side corridor that leads away from the doors and the flooding maybe they'll be a way out there, just then a man steps out from the left hand side of the corridor, the side we were going to go down. He looks to the left, where we had just come from, he looks panicked, like he's looking for something, a second later he see's us, he looks to Eric and then Jack and starts shouting at him in rapid Swedish, taking Eric and pushing Jack away. He must be Eric's dad. Jack look startled by the whole thing, he couldn't explain that he was trying to help Eric, and that he wasn't going to hurt him, because he didn't know how to say all that in Swedish. We all just looked at the man and Eric and then saw then run to the other end of the corridor- the other end! No, that's where the door is, it's the wrong way, they'll get hurt!

"IT'S THE WRONG WAY, COME BACK." Jack shouts and we ran after them. I clutched the doll that my mommy gave me tightly. Rose shouted to "PLEASE, COME BACK!" But they didn't turn around. Eric's dad went to pick up their suitcase, we ran towards them, desperately trying to get them to come the other way,

"COME BACK!" I shouted as loud as I could, please come back, it's not safe that way! The doors began to bulge even more, creaking with the water pressure, oh please come back! Roses grip was still on my hand, her hair was soaking wet, and the ends of mine now were too, the water was flowing faster now, the doors creaked and more water flowed through, I breathed quicker, my heart racing "COME BACK!" I shouted as loud as I could "COME BAC-"

I can't breathe, I try to gasp and scream but I can't, I'm too petrified, my eyes stare fixed at the water bursting through the doors, rushing wildly towards us, gushing out in rapid powerful huge waves of white, coming towards as if to attack. Eric and his dad scream but they get merged into the waves, my eyes widen, I want to scream but I can't I'm frozen, I have to move but I can't, I can't! They're getting closer, they hurdle towards us, tears blur my eyes but they can't overflow, I can't move, oh god oh god!

In the space of a second I feel a pair of arms tear me away and in an instant I'm running, running so fast I that it's hard to tell if it's my legs that are really moving I feel someone behind me and a grip on my hand, I hear Jack shout "RUN! RUN!" And the lights flicker out, leaving us in a midnight blue darkness, then the lights flicker on and off, making it hard to see, my hearts pounding, I'm gasping, everything's happening so fast, I-

Cold! So cold! It's freezing, I can't breathe, I can't feel anything, roses' grip not hear, I move my hand around but I can't feel it, I have to get out! I have to get out now! I twist and turn in the water, trying to reach the surface, how did I get here, one moment I was running, I can't breathe, The pressure swirls around me, I can hear the water, I need to get out, help, please help me god, I need to get-

I gasp and struggle as my head reaches the surface again, the water still pulling me forward, my legs slide and struggle but I can't fight it, I gasp breaths and look behind me, in a blurred second I see roses' hair and jack behind us, still sliding forward, I spin my head round quickly, I see something blurred and brass, we're heading towards it, in a few seconds I manage to hold out my arms and brace myself before we hit the gate...

**Authors note: Hey, hope u like this one! Please review and tell me what you think. I'll update sometime again this week **** xxx **


	22. Struggling

Everything's happening so fast, the water, Eric, Jack, Rose, everything racing through my mind at once, and I manage to put my arms out in time before my body slams against the gate. I gasp as the cold brass digs into my hands, bringing Sharp pains. I cry out and struggle against the inferno of the violent angry water, kicking my legs through it and against the metal to keep afloat. Just then I feel other sharp pains, almost a burning despite the water we're submerged in. The metal, it's grazing my legs. Just then I feel another huge powerful current push me further and further into the metal, crushing my bones, as if the water's angry, as if it wants me to die...

_I can't think like that, I can't I have to get through this, we all do._ I try to tell myself, but it's so impossible, the current pushing me further, I feel it swirling widely beneath my waist, snaking and twisting around my legs. Everything's going wrong! None of this was meant to happen! We were all so happy, daddy me, Tommy, Fabrizio, Ja-

_Jack and Rose!_ I don't know where they are! I can't see them. Waves of panic rise through my body, getting stronger by the second. I hear my heart hammer loudly, I have to find them! I have to have them with me, to know they're okay. I try to lift my head up more to look up but the water rushes around me, all I can see are the foam of the water, swirling, coming closer, nearer, as if it's going to swallow me. Panic rushes through me again, taking over all my senses, everything, I can't take this anymore, I can't do this! I-

A cool hand suddenly takes mine and then holds onto my arm firmly, bringing me up from the freezing water slightly, so I can see through the flickering light. Before I can think who it is I feel heavy material brush against my fingers through the water, material...

_Rose!_ Its roses' coat, she's here! The panic within me falls and I quickly turn my head to see a flash of red, deeper now because of the water, and then she turns her head, her green eyes meeting mine. I can see her porcelain skin through the flickering light in the otherwise darkness.

Relief fills me as I see her; she's here, its okay. Our eyes meet for a second, we don't say anything, what would we say. Her beautiful eyes are filled with worry, she looks so scared, but determined, an unusual combination. The smiles they usually have, glinting like the sun, are hidden now, and in their place worry and fear overshadowed them.

Only for that second our eyes meet, and then she brings her eyes back onto my arm, and she struggles to pull me higher from the water, keeping me from going under. I feel her pulling and tugging me against the flow of the water, but she doesn't hurt me. I gasp as the water suddenly picks up in pace, and Roses' arms struggle even more to keep me up. I try to kick my legs under the surface but they're powerless against the force of the water. The waves are rushing through us, through the gate, streaming ahead, their sound thundering down the corridor. Her hand tugs at me more, trying to pull me through it. I suddenly panic, my breathing quickens, what if we can't do it, it's too powerful, we can't make –

My body powers through the water, and I feel roses' strong tugs on my arm. I feel it rush against my legs until I'm close enough to Rose and she pulls me in front of her, so I'm against the gate, with her guarding behind.

I'm safe. We're safe. I close my eyes and sigh relief. I know that we're not completely safe yet, but just for a moment it feels that way. I blurrily open my eyes again, feeling exhausted suddenly; so many things have happened so suddenly, It's still hard to take it all in. Not having to struggle now I suddenly feel the bitter cold of the water, its freezing temperature going into to every part of my body. I start to shake, trying to catch my breath but it comes out all wrong, in short gasps. I feel a tight squeeze on my hand just then, trying to reassure me. I can feel her shaking behind me too, her breathing just like mine.

_We'll be okay now, focus, you're gonna be alright, rose and-_

_Jack! Where was Jack! He's not with us. He's not-_

I scream as a force hits the gate, causing it to shake, a rattling sound vibrating from its bars. What was that!

"Jack!" rose suddenly shouts. I quickly turn my head, to see jack clinging onto the bars, complelty drenched, just as we are. Jack, it's him! He's here! A feel relief radiate through me again. That's it, we're all together now, it has to be okay now...I hope it will be.

Just seconds later his arms reach out through the rushing water and firmly grab mine and roses' arm, trying desperately to tug us forward against the current. Its strength seemed to grow ever second, as it got more and more difficult to power though.

I close my eyes briefly, exhausted by the struggle, and before I can open them I feel one arm let go of me, thick material brushing against my skin, and then suddenly I feel the weight of two strong arms wrapping around me, and water run against my legs as my waist is lifted from the water, and then I'm released down again, the arms still wrapped around me.

I didn't even have to open my eyes to know they belonged to Jack. When I opened them again I saw I was a few feet away from where I was, the flow of the water still intense but I was safe in Jack's grip. Rose was still holding onto the brass gate, her eyes locked into Jack's.

"Move rose!" He shouted over the thundering water and with one hand firmly holding onto me around my waist he outstretched his other hand, encouraging her to come forward. She still looked scared, but more determined as she pushed off from the gate. Her hand out stretched to reach his but her fingers couldn't reach and she hurriedly slammed her hands against the wall to the side of us, her legs kicking under the surface, needing to stay above the surface. I gasp, afraid, terrified, she has to reach us! Without even thinking I lean forward as much as I can and out stretch a hand too trying to reach her, save her. Jack moves further forward to her, desperately needing to reach her. We both do, our arms outstretched, trying to grab her hand, arm, anything through the swirling, white water that's captured her...

I freeze. My eyes don't believe it's true but it is. It's impossible, I can't believe it...

_My dream._ The dream I had, where the huge wave suddenly hit the rollercoaster and then we were back here, me in Jack, in a flooding corridor, trying to save her! This was going to happen! The livid swirling water, flodding, rushing down stairs, the look of terrified panic in her eyes, it was the same! The same as it is now!

I didn't finish, the dream didn't finish! I was shook awake, what does that mean! Will we get through this, what's going to happen?

I can't see what's really in front of me anymore, all I can focus on is the dream,; I can see it in front of me now. The screams, the water, everything. Oh god will we get through this, we have to, oh god please help, something happen!

"Move!" I jump and suddenly the scene that was in front of my eyes disappears and I see what's really happening again. My breathings quick and I hear my heart pound. After a few seconds I calm my breathing. It's gonna be okay, It happened, in my dream, and it's happening now, but I didn't know the ending, so we can get through this, we can make it, we have to.

Just then I gasp as rose pushes off from the wall again and quickly grasps Jacks fingers. She let's go for just a second and then grabs the whole of his hand. He grips hers firmly and he pulled her forward through the water, until her bodies within reach and her grabs the rest of her arms and pulls her through, until she's in his arms next to me. He pulled her through! One minute she was against the gate terrified and now she's here.

"Come on Rose, Cora, move!" Jack shouts over the sound of the thrashing water again and helps push us forward, and into the gap on the right, and then up the small flight of steps, helping pushing us all through the block of the water. We did it, we're climbing the steps now. I sigh again and I feel Roses' hand grab mine again. It all happened so fast I can hardly take it in, but we're here now, we can make it, we can do this! If we can make it though that then we can survive this, I know it, me Jack and Rose, we have to, we will. I think this just as we're about to reach the gate, ready to open it...


	23. A cry for help

Hey!

I am so so sorry it has taken me such a ridiculously long time to update, I really am sorry! I've just had so much to do, but I promise I will never go that long without updating again! I hope you like this chapter, I've not written in a while (as you know, sorry again :() so I hope you still like this. Gemma xxx

We climb one more step and then we reach the gate. I feel relief and exhaustion flood and flow rapidly into my veins; finally, we're getting outta here! It's all finished, we're safe! Happiness begins to tingle in me at that thought, spreading a warm sensation through my body, from my head to my toes. This is all over, we did it, me Jack and Rose, we survived this, like I prayed, like Jack said we would! My eyes close as I put my hands through the Iron bars, I can hear Jack and roses' echoing footsteps behind me. It's only now I'm stood here that I feel how heavy my clothes feel, pulling my down like Iron weights. The bitter cold makes me shiver as it clings to my cloths, and drips from my hair icily down me. I won't think about that just now, not after everything that's happened, after all we're safe now. My eyes are still closed, with my hands closed around the iron bars.

I imagine running on deck, with the inky night sky surrounding us; seeing daddy and Tommy, and Fabrizio, and me Jack and Rose getting into a boat, and then rowing away, all of us, safe...

I feel the bars shake forcefully in my hands, hearing the loud harsh clatter. I jump suddenly, startled, but then I calm down. I feel a heavy material brush close to my hand, its rose, its roses' coat; I know the feel of it so well now. She's opened it, she's opened the gate, we can go, we can escape this, we can find Da-

The gates vibrate again and the loud clatter rings loudly again. It come from the left side of the gate this time, it must be Jack. Why is he shaking the gate? Rose did it, we can go!

I push against the gate to open it, if no one else is going to open this thing then I will, we can't just stay here, we can go, we-

The gate doesn't open.

The gate doesn't move at all. My eyes flash open, no, the gate has to open, it has to, why wouldn't it open.

I shake it again, maybe I didn't push it hard enough last time, maybe it's just stiff. I grip my hands hard around the bars, so that it almost feels like they're cutting into me. I shake them again but nothing happens.

They're not going to open.

I can't breathe; I can barely stand, my hands begin to shake, the realisation just hit me, washing over me, drowning me in it, we're not going to get outta here, we're trapped.

Roses' hands begin to shake to the gate again, I look up at her, her eyes are filled with panic, she's realised it too.

"Oh god!" She shouts as she shakes the gate, trying desperately for it to open, She looks down at me, I'm shaking so much. She must see I'm scared because she puts both of her hands around both of mine that are around the bars and squeezes them hard, and then shakes the bars again, so my hands go with hers.

"HELP!" I hear Jack shout, I turn my head to face him, he's shaking the gates so hard too, he desperately wants go get us out of here. I quickly turn my head again, to face the gate-

Icy water suddenly bites through me, it makes me gasp and choke on air. I here Rose gasp sharply too. Only a few seconds after the shock I can breathe again; I turn my head around quickly, the waters here! It's at our feet! It's creeping up here already! I quickly turn my head round again, just as rose turns hers.

I can feel the bars shaking violently, I can hear Jack and Rose shout for help, but it's all a blur, everything's going out of focus, blurry, like it not real. Thoughts keep rushing through my mind so fast that I can barely focus on them, the water, the cold, Jack, Rose, Daddy, the gate, everything racing in my mind at once. Tears begin to spill over my face, we're going to die, there's no way we can get through this, no one's coming, no one's coming to save us.

"HELP US!" I shout as loud as I can, but no one comes, no one's coming to help us. I feel the freezing water begin to rise at my ankles, freezing my bones, stabbing them like knives.

Rose squeezes my hands tighter, she knows I'm terrified, terrified as her. I know I shouldn't think like this, I should try to hope, but I can't, there's no one here, the gates won't open, there's no one here to save us. Oh please god please let someone help us please!

I look down for a second, seeing the water swirl and twist at my ankles, please let someone come, please...

"WAIT SIR, SIR OPEN THE GATE PLEASE"

I look up quickly, has someone come, please say someone's, yes! Someone's come!

"PLEASE, HELP US!" Shouts rose, I feel her hand separate from mine and she puts it through the bar, towards the man. He must be a crew member, he looks like it. He's stood on the stairs, looking back at us. I can't believe it somebody's come! We're saved!

"Please, help us!"

"Help us!" I hear Jack and rose shout again, they don't need to, he's seen us, he's here, he's going to help!

"Please!" I hear rose shout again, but why is she shouting, he going to help isn-

And then I realize; my stomach sinks down to the floor again; I feel the horrible sensation of my throat closing up when I want to scream.

He's not moving. He's not coming to help us.

He's stood on the stairs, frozen, he eyes fixing in turn on each of us.

My breathing quickens again, no, NO! Why can't he save us! He can't just walk away, not now; he's the only hope we have!

"PLEASE, HELP US"

"HELP US!" Jack and Rose cry out through the gates, I open my mouth to shout but no words come out, I'm too terrified, his eyes fix on me, I look at his, oh please help us, please!

He keeps looking, his eyes are scared to, I know he's scared, he wants to stay alive, but can't he quickly help us? I feel my blood pound in my head, I feel dizzy; please help us, please stay...

NO! My mind screams, he's turned and has one foot on the next step up, don't go, don't go, please!

I feel Rose tense behind me, she's thinking the same thing, please stay, oh god please help us.

"Bloody hell" He says with desperation, suddenly he's turned, he's, he's coming towards us, he's helping us! I let out a sigh, relief runs through me.

He quickly runs down the steps until he's in front of us, pulling out a set of keys and trying them in the lock, any second now and we can escape.

"Hurry!" Rose says as he puts the key shakily in the lock, his hands are trembling so much. My breathing quickens, please hurry, please unlock it soon...

Another stab of daggers hit me, I gasp and see the water rising, it's at my knees now, the pain spreading through my legs,

"COME ON, COME ON!" Jack shouts, as he sees the water rising too, but he doesn't hurry up, the keys twisting and shaking in his hands. I feel panic rising in me, he has to unlock it soon!

"Oh Jesus!" The man on the other side says desperately, he's trying, I know he is, but the waters rising rapidly, he has to unlock it soon!

"Please, hurry" I hear rose say, another gasp and the waters at my waist. I feel her arms wrap around me and pull me up higher, so the waters only at my knees now.

"Come on, come on!" Jack shouts, we have to get out of here! Suddenly the light flashes into sparks and then into flickering darkness. I can barely see now, the keys flashing from silver to darkness, the sound of the water roaring below me, it's reached my waist again now, rose can't hold me any higher. The feel of it threatens to pull my legs down beneath the surface, I hear jack and rose' shout, the keys shaking in the lock, the sound of the sparks from the lights, all this blurred together, I can't think straight, I can barely breathe. Oh please let us out soon, please unlock the gate please!

And then I see the keys slip through the surface.

Authors note: Please tell me what you think! Let me know if you still like this, or if your still reading this. If you are still reading this thank you very much for sticking with me, and I promise to have another update ready either this week or next weekend :)


	24. Important update note!

Hey,

So I feel I have a lot of explaining to do...

I apologize so much for not updating my stories, work and personal stuff has just got on top of me, but now things are calming down and I will have the time and be in the right mindset to write again. If you've been following my stories I hope you will keep reading them despite the delay, and once again I'm very sorry, but I'm officially back now :P

I'm going to change my username in around a week's time, I thought I'd let you know now so that there's no confusion :) I'm defiantly still working on my Jack and rose fic- Indescriable love, and I'd love to continue with "Cora-an unforgettable voyage" but I'm unsure of what people think about it, so can you please let me know if you want me to continue with it?

Update coming soon :)


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